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Spring 2011

Volume 2011 Issue 1

Editor

Megan J. Highet

Message from the President Rob Hoppa Inside this issue:

Message from the Student

Representative:

Christine Elisabeth Boston

3

Article: Rediscover Your

Librarian

Olga Perkovic

4

Renew Your Membership

5

Member News

6

Article: Don‟t Forget Your

Snickers Bar

Christine Elisabeth Boston

7

Notes from the Field

8

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR PHYSICAL ANTHROCANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR PHYSICAL ANTHROCANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY POLOGY POLOGY L’ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE D’ANTHROPOLOGIEL’ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE D’ANTHROPOLOGIEL’ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE D’ANTHROPOLOGIE PHYSIQUEPHYSIQUEPHYSIQUE

NewsletterNewsletterNewsletter

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Please send submissions to:

[email protected]

Deadline for the Fall Issue:

October 21, 2011

Graduate Student Profile 8

Amanda Melin

Secretary-Treasurer‟s 9

Report (2010)

Minutes of the Business 11

Meeting (2010)

This is the last message I will write in the CAPA

newsletter as President – admittedly a bitter-sweet

experience. It has been an incredibly rewarding ex-

perience to have been allowed the privilege to serve

as the Association‟s President over the past few

years. I have not accomplished nearly what I had

hoped with regard to some issues, but the member-

ship continues to be strong and as many of you will

agree, the diversity and quality of research being

presented at the annual meetings continues to im-

press. Myself having begun as a student member

during my PhD program, I have had the chance to

interact through CAPA over the past two decades

with a core of members including both mentors and

peers. Most rewarding for me has been the chance

to see students developing over time, and of course

to see many new students participating in the asso-

ciation. I always look forward to the meetings to visit

with friends and colleagues. But I am increasingly

delighted (though a bit daunted) by how many faces

each new year that I don‟t know, representing the

healthy growth of the association through new mem-

bers. And while I look forward to my continued

interactions with both new and a familiar faces at

future meetings, the 2011 meetings in Montreal will

represent the end of my formal duties. On that note

it is with immense pleasure that I announce our

incoming President, Dr. Tina Moffat, who was unani-

mously elected by the membership.

Dr. Moffat is an Associate Professor in the Depart-

ment of Anthropology at McMaster University. Her

research interests on child health & nutrition and

environmental health in urban settings includes re-

search on childhood obesity and the impact of social

and economic differences on children's body size,

diet and physical activity. I very much look forward

to the continued success of the Association under

Tina‟s very capable leadership. I know you all join me

in welcoming Tina in her new role. My thanks are

extended to the nomination committee (Tracy

Prowse, Richard Lazenby and Julia Gamble) for their

work over this past year.

In closing, I wish everyone a productive summer and

look forward to seeing many of you in Montreal in

the fall.

CAPA 2011

Montréal, Québec

Host:

The University

of Montréal

October 26-29, 2011

Find us online at:

www.capa-acap.info

Abstracts from the 13

2010 CAPA/ACAP Meetings

mailto:mailto:[email protected]?subject=CAPA%20Newsletter%20Submission

http://www.capa-acap.info

CAPA / ACAP

Message from the Student Representative Christine Elisabeth Boston

Salutations CAPA Student Membership:

As another school year comes to a close, the time has come again where

we reflect upon the events of the past year. We remember the assign-

ments, the presentations, the field work, the frustrations, and the joys of

being a student. And this is usually when we remember (or continue to

forget) to renew our CAPA membership. It is important to renew your

membership so as to not miss out on the benefits, which include but are

not limited to the ability to present at the Annual Meeting; receiving up

to date information on field schools, graduate school opportunities,

scholarships/grants, and employment; networking with fellow students

and professionals in the field; and much more.

It is important to remember to renew your membership either at the

end of December or early January so as to not let your membership

lapse. The membership CAPA runs from January 1 to December 31,

regardless of when one begins their membership. This membership pe-

riod is similar to those of other professional organizations (e.g. AAPA,

CAA, CASCA, OAS, etc.), but there are distinct differences between

CAPA and these other organizations regarding new memberships and

renewals.

Other organizations publicly state that new memberships that begin after

a specific date will begin in the following year and new members will

receive their member benefits beginning on January 1, while others state

new memberships will not be accepted after a certain date. CAPA‟s

policy is more lax as new members who sign up after a specific time can

take advantage of their membership immediately instead of waiting for

the following year and still receive the benefits they missed earlier in the

year (if applicable). s well, many other organizations have a set date for

membership renewal, whereas CAPA does not.

CAPA members have the freedom to renew their membership within a

two year period without the penalty of losing some of their membership

benefits. Other organizations have strict deadlines for membership re-

newals, and there are no exceptions granted for late or missed renewals.

Also, it is important to remember that CAPA does not require proof of

student status. CAPA has worked on the honor system for many years,

and it will continue to do so until deemed necessary to change that pol-

icy. CAPA also does not require individuals whose student status

changes in the year to pay the difference in membership, but members

will have to change their status and pay the applicable fees upon mem-

bership renewal.

An additional benefit of being a CAPA member is that the membership

fees are one of the least expensive across the board in comparison to

other organizations, particularly for international and national organiza-

tions. Several provincial and local professional organizations have mem-

bership fees that far exceed those required by CAPA. The advantages of

becoming and continuing to be a CAPA member are well worth the

nominal membership fee.

In conclusion, it is important to renew your membership for several

reasons. While you can renew your membership at any time throughout

the year, I encourage members renew earlier rather than later so as to

not run into a conflict with abstract submissions for the Annual Meeting

(this year in Montreal). Only current members can present at the Annual

Meeting, so please renew now before you forget again.

Sincerely,

Christine Boston, CAPA Student Representative

Volume 2011 Issue 1

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

The Department of Anthropology in the Faculty of Arts at the Univer-

sity of Alberta invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at

the rank of Assistant Professor in biological anthropology. The suc-

cessful candidate will have an active research program in the bioar-

chaeology of anatomically modern human populations, with the geo-

graphic region and era open. Preference will be given to candidates

whose research emphasizes the reconstruction of past lives from a

holistic perspective, using an osteobiographical approach. Areas of

interest include palaeopathology, biomechanical analysis, histology, and

subadult growth and development. The successful candidate will be

expected to contribute to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate

levels and to develop and maintain an active research program. We

are a four-field department offering many opportunities for collabora-

tion across the subdisciplines. The successful candidate must hold a

PhD; outstanding candidates who are close to completion at the time

of appointment may also be considered.

This appointment will commence July 1, 2012; salary will be commen-

surate with qualifications and experience.

Letters of application, including curriculum vitae, a description of

research and teaching interests, and names of three references,

should be sent by September 15, 2011.

For more information about the Department of Anthropology, visit

our website at www.anthropology.ualberta.ca.

How to Apply:

Mail:

Dr. Lisa Philips, Chair

Department of Anthropology

University of Alberta

13-15 HM Tory Building

Edmonton, AB Canada

T6G 2H4

[email protected]

Fax: (780) 492-5273

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians

and permanent residents will be given priority. The University of

Alberta hires on the basis of merit. We are committed to the princi-

ple of equity in employment. We welcome diversity and encourage

applications from all qualified women and men, including persons with

disabilities, members of visible minorities, and Aboriginal persons.

MEMBER

NEWS

ACTIVE JOB POSTING

http://www.anthropology.ualberta.ca/

mailto:[email protected]

Rediscover your Librarian

Olga Perkovic, Liaison Librarian, Dept. of Anthropology, McMaster University http://library.mcmaster.ca/contact/perkovic-olga

You may be wondering about the connection between a librarian and the discipline of anthropology

but, I assure you, there are plenty! The intention of this article is to provide some insight in to these

connections. In turn, you may consider making some discoveries of your own, in particular, partnering

with a librarian in the pursuit of teaching, learning and research activities at your academic institution.

A reorganization in the University Library in the fall of 2007, led to my current position as a Liaison

Librarian. My responsibilities included establishing and building partnerships with faculty in several

departments, one of which was the Department of Anthropology. I was most excited about this disci-

pline since I received my undergraduate degree in this program at McMaster.

I had, in the past, conducted numerous one-shot, in-class library sessions that were requested by fac-

ulty, who recognized the need for students to receive some form of instruction to complete an assign-

ment. As my liaison work in the department progressed, faculty who may not have considered (or

even known) about the library‟s teaching and research services, took advantage of the opportunity as

a collegial relationship developed. Quick exchanges in coffee lines, hallways and elevators sometimes

led to follow-up meetings with faculty as well.

In the first year of the liaison program, I was invited to be a speaker for one of the department‟s mandatory Graduate Workshops; I have contin-

ued to participate in the program every year, since then. Another opportunity for outreach came in the form of the CAPA conference, which

McMaster University hosted in 2008 in Hamilton, Ontario. By attending the conference, I had the opportunity to learn about current research in

the discipline, and to meet with fellow graduates who continued in the field. In this particular year, the membership honoured Dr. Shelley Saun-

ders, who was my professor for several undergraduate courses at McMaster. Thus began my membership in CAPA, which continues today.

While the liaison program continued through the years 2009 and 2010, the University Library was undergoing major changes in terms of collec-

tions, services and space. It became increasingly important to communicate these changes to faculty. I approached Dr. Aubrey Cannon, Chair of

the Department of Anthropology at McMaster, who agreed that it would be beneficial for me to attend department meetings to speak on library

issues. I have attended several meetings and a department retreat, where curriculum planning and related items such as Ontario‟s University Un-

dergraduate Degree Level Expectations (UUDLEs pronounced “oodles”) were discussed.

In 2010-2011, arrangements were kindly made for me to begin offering office hours (2) in the department on a weekly basis. Being present in the

department was beneficial in several ways:

Faculty could conveniently drop-in to meet with me (or I could meet with them) to discuss learning objectives for library

sessions and to design assignments;

Graduate students could ask questions about their research, and I could provide information on the use of library services

such as Interlibrary Loan;

Undergraduate students could meet with me, without arranging a prior appointment, for one-on-one consultations. In some

weeks, I had undergraduate students lining up at my office door!;

Faculty more readily added me to their courses in the Learning Management System, Desire2Learn. I created library

“widgets” with links to helpful resources and included my contact information for students.

How can a librarian assist in a biological anthropology course, where student work outside the lectures consists of lab tutorials? Dr. Tracy Prowse,

who taught a second year course entitled “Human Variation and Evolutionary Change” was interested in creating two assignments (10% each) that

would address content analysis and critical reading and writing skills. We worked together on the assignments and the supporting library compo-

nents. I first taught the large class in the campus classroom and, in the following weeks, students were required to attend a workshop in the li-

brary‟s electronic classroom during tutorial times. Dr. Prowse writes:

“The valuable aspect of this collaboration with Olga was that we worked together to design assignments that (1) made stu

dents think critically about sources of information for their research papers (i.e. what makes a reliable internet site?), and;

(2) gave students experience using library databases for research, and asked them to compare the content and quality of

information obtained from these different sources. More generally, we wanted to give these students research skills that

can be transferred to other courses.”

Apart from teaching and learning, you may have questions, such as the following: How will the new copyright legislation impact me, and my stu-

dents, this fall term? What is an Institutional Repository and how can I make submissions of my scholarly work, or that of my students, to it?

There is, most certainly, a librarian near you, who can provide you with the answers to these questions, and more.

I encourage you to seek him/her out!

Figure 1: Olga Perkovic

CAPA / ACAP

mailto:mailto:http://library.mcmaster.ca/contact/perkovic-olga

Volume 2011 Issue 1

McMASTER UNIVERSITY

News from the Department: Sally

Carraher, a PhD candidate in the

Anthropology of Health program

(Figure 1), presented a paper, "Post-

Colonial Bacteria: Bridging

Anthropological, Epidemiological,

and Indigenous Theories" at the 37th

annual meeting of the Alaska

Anthropological Association in

March at Fairbanks, Alaska. This is

part of her thesis research with the

Canadian North Helicobacter pylori

Working Group in the Northwest

Territories. Recently, Sally was the

recipient of an International

Excellence Award from McMaster

and an Indigenous Health Research

Development Program scholarship.

Heather Battles (Figure 2), a PhD candidate in the Anthropology of

Health program, is an active member of the Rotary Club (Rotaract) and a

tireless fund-raiser for their polio eradication program. She is shown

with an iron lung, a

machine which

enabled polio

victims to breathe,

at the PolioPlus

booth at the Rotary

International

Convention in Los

Angeles. Heather‟s

PhD dissertation is

on polio epidemics

in Hamilton and

Toronto in the

early twentieth

century.

Emily Cowall (Figure 3) is completing

her PhD dissertation on tuberculosis

among the Inuit of Pangnirtung. As

part of her research, she identified and

repatriated previously unidentified

photographs of Inuit sent to the

Hamilton Sanatorium for treatment for

tuberculosis. In a moving community

celebration, the photographs were

returned.

Tracy Prowse writes: I will be taking undergraduate and graduate

students to Italy this summer for the 2011 Bioarchaeological Field School

at Vagnari. We will be excavating a Roman period cemetery in July.

I am co-PI on a new SSHRC grant entitled: "The Basentello

Archaeological Research Project, Studying Cultural Hybridization in the

Basentello River Valley: Archaeological, Osteological, and Ecological

Evidence for Cultural Interaction" (with Myles McCallum [PI], Hans

vanderLeest, and Mikael Haller).

UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG

Mirjana Roksandic writes: U of Winnipeg Department of Anthropology

has been a busy place this year. Both Mary Silcox (who left for greener

pastures at UTSC in July) and myself got our five-years of NSERC funding

for evolutionary anthropology. My student Stephanie Armstrong got

an NSERC for her Masters research on Cuban molecular pathology. She

is off to Thunder Bay to do her analyses with Carney Matheson this

summer. My honors student Emeric Seguin got an NSERC USRA to

work with me this summer, and my Cuban PhD student Yadira

Chinique de Armas got an ELAP grant to do her research at U of

Winnipeg.

After an initial success in securing SSHRC IOF last year our Canadian-

Cuban team got a SSHRC SRG this time around! Now we are funded for

three years and planning on digging and surveying shell midden sites in

Cuba in December (when it falls below -30 here).

The field school in Serbia was a total success by all standards! (check it

out at http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/anthro-field-school-index) We had

13 students, (half of them were international students) and a large team

of Serbian, Canadian, British, French and Spanish experts and graduate

students. We excavated 4 caves: one of them is a hominin fossil bearing

site, all of them with substantial Paleolithic layers. Watch out for an

upcoming article in JHE. After Mary Silcox left, we had fought hard to

get a replacement for her position. We are currently hiring two assistant

professors in the department: one is in Biological Anthropology.

Starting in 2011, the Department of Anthropology at the Ohio State

University and the Paleopathology division of the University of Pisa will

offer a summer field school in medieval archaeology and bioarchaeology

at Badia Pozzeveri, Lucca Province, Italy. The field school at Badia

Pozzeveri is an outstanding opportunity for students to gain practical

experience in archaeological excavation and bioarchaeological

investigation by working side-by-side with leading researchers in the field.

The field school welcomes both undergraduate and graduate students

majoring in anthropology. More information can be found at

www.fieldschoolpozzeveri.org.

“Craniofacial Embryogenetics and Development” published by PMPH-

USA Press. Published by: www.pmph-usa.com

MEMBER

NEWS

MEMBER NEWS

MEMBER

NEWS

BOOK CORNER

Figure 1: Sally Carraher

Figure 2: Heather Battles in

front of an iron lung at the Ro-

tary International Convention in

Figure 3: Emily Cowall in

Pangnirtung

MEMBER

NEWS

FIELD SCHOOL

CAPA / ACAP

http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/anthro-field-school-index

http://www.fieldschoolpozzeveri.org/

http://www.pmph-usa.com

Volume 2011 Issue 1

Don’t forget your Snickers bar...

And other helpful tips to know before

embarking on fieldwork.

Christine Elisabeth Boston, CAPA Student Representative

While in undergrad, a professor told us about her opportunity to conduct

fieldwork in Africa. She had never previously left the country and was

bombarded with advice about what to expect when in the field. Of all the

advice, the best was to take several Snickers bars with her. She laughed

but admitted that she coveted those Snickers bars, eating them sparingly as

they were her little reminder of home. That story has stuck out in my

mind over the years, particularly when I have gone out in the field over my

graduate student career. While I agree with my professor‟s advice, there

are several other things that one should know (and remember) before

heading out in to the field, be it close or far from home. Heed this advice

as you may need it even if you do no expect it.

Do not forget your “Snickers bars”. It is important to bring some-

thing that reminds you of home along with you on your trip. You cannot

know how much you may need it, particularly when home sick or frus-

trated with your work. Plus, you never know when you could use that

“Snickers bar” to strike up a conversation between you and a colleague,

friend, or random stranger from whom you need help. I found that family

photographs made relations between the Hostel staff and me much easier,

which helped me out greatly during my stay.

Know the language. This seems like common sense. How else can

one effectively communicate with colleagues or get around if one does not

know the language? Do not assume that anyone will speak your native

tongue because chances are you will run into a situation where no one

does and you really need some sort of help (even if it is just to find a wash-

room). Along this, know the language, as in know the culture and meanings

behind the language, even if you are going somewhere close to your home.

Certain words or phrases that mean nothing to you may have deeper

meanings amongst the people you are working with. Example: In Chile,

people will frequently ask a woman, “Are you alone?” This is because

women usually do not travel alone, and therefore people are concerned

about their safety. There is a double meaning to this question: “Are you

single?” This can lead to several awkward conversations if the context of

the question is lost or unknown. Avoid this by learning not only how to

speak the language, but also the contextual meanings before heading out

into the field.

Read the local newspaper before you leave. Some events and

information will make the international and national news agencies (e.g.

natural disasters, elections, coups, etc.), but other information will not. It is

in your best interest to find out what is going on locally in the field area.

Holidays, protests, pollution, strikes, etc. could interfere with your work

and/or make it extremely dangerous to work in the area. Talk to col-

leagues or read the online newspapers, blogs, etc. to find out what you can

and prepare accordingly.

Have a Plan B...and C, D, E, F, and G if possible. You write a re-search

proposal or have some sort of plan for your research/work before you

head out, but very few people devise a “just in case” back up plan. It is best

to have a back up plan in case something delays or ends your re-search

project. Machines break down, museum records are wrong, collections go

missing, weather interferes, etc. Having a back up plan (or three) is helpful

for keeping on track and not delaying your work anymore than necessary.

Know what the requirements are of where you are going. Some

countries require people to pay for entrance visas before entering, and

these costs range from country to country. To complicate matters further,

these entrance visas may have an expiry date, and you should know what

options are available for renewal. As well, some places require you to have

proof of specific vaccinations before you enter. If you do not have these

documents, you may not be allowed to enter the country or you may be

quarantined for an extended period. Avoid these delays by familiarizing

yourself with these regulations before you leave.

Be prepared and willing to spend for your safety. You should not

be afraid or unwilling to pay more for safety. Know what modes of travel,

areas of town, places to eat, hotels or hostels, doctors/facilities, etc. are

safe. This is important not only for the time lost from being ill but because

you could potentially harm yourself for far longer than your time in the

field. As such, do not be miserly about your safety.

Sunscreen is your friend. Do not forget sunscreen, bug repellent, a

small first aid kit, etc. These items may not be available or are available at

an inflated cost (e.g. $20 for an ounce of sunscreen). You may think you

will not need these items or you can do without, but you may come to

regret that decision later, particularly when you are forever known as

“The Shrimp” because of the awful sunburn you had all field season.

Do not bring anything you will be upset to lose. It may be your

favorite sweater that you must bring with you everywhere you go, but are

you able to part with it? If the answer is no, then leave it at home. You

may plan to be extra careful, but you cannot control for everything, includ-

ing theft, laundry mishaps, no room in your suitcase, etc. It is best to bring

things that you will have no problems losing or leaving if absolutely neces-

sary.

Know how to contact family and friends. Before you leave, find out

if you will have access to the internet, telephones, cellular phones, and/or

snail mail. You may be surprised by what you do have access to in some

areas but not in others. Parts of the rural USA only have a few pay phones,

limited cell service, and postal mail but no access to the internet, making it

difficult to contact family, friends, and your supervisor or committee. Ar-

eas in South America, however, have several communication options avail-

able, including internet cafes, local and long distance phone centers, cellu-

lar services, and postal mail. Also check what access to banks and wire

transfers you will have available to you in the field in case you run into a

monetary emergency.

Expect reverse culture shock. Expect to feel reverse culture shock

upon returning home. You may have been speaking a different language for

months, observing foreign customs, dressing a different way, etc., and all of

a sudden you have to revert back to how you were before you left. The

reverse culture shock can last a while but this is dependent on the length

of time you were away.

Expect to be sick both in and out of the field. Your body is used to

a specific environment, and you may get sick upon entering a new one and

upon returning to the old one. You may feel a little stomach discomfort or

far worse. Make sure you have adequate travel insurance that will actually

cover any medical expenses incurred in the field. Do not assume the plan

covers everything or everywhere as some plans will not cover medical

costs incurred in “high risk regions.”

REMEMBER TO HAVE SOME FUN! A senior faculty member once

said, “Be happy. You‟ll never be able to conduct research like this again!”

Enjoy the freedom to conduct field research like that you can in your stu-

dent career but also be sure to take a moment and enjoy the scenery.

Network with colleagues, make friends outside of your direct research

group, check out the sites, explore your surroundings, and whatever else

you find fun. You never know what you will find, what experiences will

make great stories for later, and the lasting friendships you will make. Plus,

these experiences and people will help take some of the edge off of the

stress of working/researching, which will make the whole overall

experience much more enjoyable.

Notes from the Field

Jerome S. Cybulski writes: From mid-

November until mid-December, 2010, Dr.

Jerome Cybulski (Curator, Canadian Museum of

Civilization) and Mr. Robert Stark (Ph.D.

candidate, McMaster University) joined the Hun-

garian Archaeological Mission in Thebes to study

human remains at Sheikh Abd el-Qurna in the

Theban Necropolis. The area is part of the

Tombs of the Nobles on the west bank of the

Nile, opposite Luxor, near Deir el-Bahari, the

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. This was the

14th field season of the mission‟s TT65 project

under the direction of Dr. Tamás Bács, Egyp-

tologist and Professor at Eötvös Loránd Univer-

sity, Budapest, and the first season with a dedi-

cated human bioarchaeology program.

Cybulski and Stark set up a lab in the impressive

painted chapel of Theban Tomb (TT) 65 where

they analyzed the bones of mummies from five

burial locations in or adjacent to the tomb. All

told, 22+ individuals in varying states of com-

pleteness were sorted and analyzed, variably

representing the New Kingdom 18th Dynasty,

the Third Intermediate Period, and the Coptic

period. Included were males, females, children, and infants. Cybulski and Stark plan to rejoin the Hungarian Mission in autumn 2011 to study Third

Intermediate Period remains excavated from the forecourt of a nearby saff tomb. Funding for the 2010 bioarchaeology field season was provided by

the Hungarian Archaeological Mission TT65 Project and the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

Amanda (Figure 2) earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences (Zoology) and a

Master of Arts in Anthropology (Primatology) prior to beginning her doctoral program in Biologi-

cal Anthropology at the University of Calgary under the supervision of Dr. Linda Fedigan. Her

research focuses upon primate color vision. She notes that primates are rare among mammals in

that they have trichomacy (3-color) vision while most others have dicharomatic or monochro-

matic vision. Further, New World monkeys, such as capuchins are also characterized by sex-

linked polymorphic color vision, meaning that while all males and some females have dichromactic

vision, some females actually have trichomacy vision.

Between January 2007 and September 2008 Amanda spend thirteen months conducting field re-

search in north-western Costa-Rica for her dissertation, studying the effects of color vision varia-

tion on foraging patterns (for both fruit and insects) among four groups of white-faced capuchins

(Cebus capucinus) that inhabit a seasonally dry forest. Following her behavioral observations of

these free-ranging monkeys, she spent an additional ten months between January 2009 and August

2010 acquiring photographs of monkey food items and engaging in computer-based foraging trails

in the Vision and Aging Laboratory at the University of Calgary, while genotyping of the monkey

subjects was completed at the University of Tokyo.

Amanda presented some of her findings pertaining to seasonal use of colorful fruits by capuchins

at the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution held in Banff, Alberta,

held from May 12-15. She defended her PhD thesis on April 15th and will be taking up a postdoc-

toral position examining color vision of Euarchontan mammals in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

with Dr. Nate Dominy at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire this June.

Graduate Student Profile: Amanda Melin

PhD Candidate, Department of Anthropology, University of Calgary

Figure 1: The Morning Commute to the Theban Necropolis (Photo by J.S. Cybulski)

Figure 2: Amanda Melin

CAPA / ACAP

Volume 2011 Issue 1

Secretary-Treasurer’s Report

CAPA-ACAP 2010 --

1 - Statement of Income and Expenses for 2010 (to Dec. 17th/’10) –

CAPA Community Account Opening Balance

(for the period Dec. 18th/‟09 to Dec. 17th/‟10): $ 38,637.11

Income:

2010 Membership dues: $ 3,676.24

Bank interest for 2010: $ 3.93

Grant amount from U. of Calgary (re. Banff ‟07): $ 2,000.00

Sub-total revenue for 2010 (to Dec. 17th/’10): $ 5,680.17

Expenses:

Honorarium to CAPA-ACAP webmaster (2008-10): <$600.00>

Student awards (CAPA-ACAP ‟09 – 2 x $500): <$1,000.00>

1st deposit to Hotel Gouverneur – Montreal ‟11: <$2,000.00>

Student travel reimbursements (Saskatoon): <$1,575.00>

Sub-total expenses for 2010 (to Dec. 17th/’10): <$ 5,175.00>

Community Account Balance to Dec. 17th/’10: $ 39,142.28

2 - Current Assets (as of December 17th, 2010):

Bank of Montreal:

Community Account Funds: $ 39,142.28

Total Assets: $ 39,142.28

3 - Comparative figures for revenue from membership (2001-2010):

2001: $ 2,145 (approximate because membership from Oct to Oct)

2002: $ 2,243.73

2003: $ 3,629.72 (year with increase in membership fees)

2004: $ 5115.01

2005: $ 4,838.26

2006: $ 5,619.97

2007: $ 6,162.78

2008: $ 5,755.76

2009: $ 4,002.97

2010: $ 3,676.24

4 - Membership Breakdown 2010

New Renewal Totals

Student 33 22 55

Full 5 29 34

Totals 38 51 89

plus, 1 new Life member (Dr. Maria Liston), together with 10 Life Members = 100 Members in CAPA-ACAP for 2010.

Membership Breakdown 2009 (for comparison):

New Renewal Totals

Student 30 31 61

Full 10 51 61

Totals 40 82 122

plus, together with 10 Life Members = 132 Members in CAPA-ACAP for 2009.

Once again this year, the overwhelming majority of new members in CAPA-ACAP were student members (and I am ex-

pecting that there are at least a few more student Membership Forms in the mail). New CAPA-ACAP members who

were students accounted for 86.8% of “New” CAPA-ACAP members in 2010. Student membership overall was only

slightly down versus 2009, but the “New” student membership remained solid. In terms of total membership, thus far

this year students account for 61.8% of the membership of CAPA-ACAP. There was a decline in “Full” memberships of

about 45% compared to 2009.

Comparative Membership totals, 1997-2010:

Total membership for 2010: 100


Total membership for 2008: 168* (* historic high in CAPA-ACAP membership)












CAPA / ACAP

Volume 2011 Issue 1

CAPA-ACAP - Saskatoon 2010

Minutes of the Business Meeting

(held Friday, October 29, 2010)

(Recorded by Ian Colquhoun, CAPA-ACAP Secretary-Treasurer):

4:15 PM – Rob Hoppa, CAPA-ACAP President, calls the Business Meeting to order.

1. The first item for consideration was Approval of the Agenda; approval was moved by Brianna Mack, and seconded by Julia Boughner. Ap-

proval of the Agenda was unanimous.

2. Approval of the 2009 Minutes – approval was moved by Anne Katzenberg, and seconded by Kate Decter; the 2009 Minutes of the Business

Meeting (which, Rob noted, had already been published in the Spring 2010 issue of the CAPA-ACAP Newsletter) were approved.

3. Business Arising from the Minutes – There was no Business Arising from the Minutes.

4. President’s Report –

a) Eligibility changes at SSHRC:

Rob circulated an e-mail solicitation to CAPA-ACAP members to take a survey via SurveyMonkey, which consisted on 10 multiple-choice questions.

Between April and May 2010, there were 49 responses to this survey invitation.

Rob quickly reviewed the response profiles to the 10 questions:

1. Amongst SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR, 73.5% of respondents had either applied to, or been funded by, SSHRC.

2. 85% of respondents said their research proposals/projects were “health-related”.

3. 65% of respondents said “yes”, the changes to SSHRC‟s funding priorities would certainly affect their research proposal submission choices.

4. Regarding previous success in gaining SSHRC funding, 65% of respondents indicate they had held awards from SSHRC.

5. 12% of respondents indicated they had/would be considered ineligible for funding, as judged by SSHRC.

6. Regarding recent choices to apply to other funding bodies besides SSHRC, 40% said “yes” they had opted to pursue other funding possibilities;

often, these choices were based on feedback from colleagues.

7. Among the respondents to the survey, there was a 60/40 split between SSHRC Scholarship-Fellowship funding vs. SSHRC Standard Research

Grants.

8. Concerning the possible transfer from SSHRC to CIHR of the research areas of interest of the respondents: 82% were not in favour of this; 2%

were in favour (because they also had past experience applying to CIHR for research funding), and 9% were in favour of the prospect, but had never

previously been assessed by CIHR in grants competition.

9. Regarding the current position of respondents – 34 of the 49 respondents (69%) were faculty members.

10. Among the 49 respondents, 25% were Full Professors, 20% were Associate Professors, and 35% were Assistant Professors.

July 15th, 2010 – SSHRC revises their guidelines to note that bioarchaeological/health research is eligible for support from SSHRC. Rob, who has

some experience on Committee 16 (which is the likely reviewing body for CAPA-ACAP members), noted that there is still a continuing problem of

“category of research” in SSHRC applications that explicitly registers “physical anthropology”. Pablo Nepomnaschy commented that physical an-

thropology researchers should step forward to serve on SSHRC and CIHR review panels. Anne Katzenberg noted that “Archaeology” and

“Anthropology” both have histories of being bounced around between committees. Andrew Nelson and Rob both noted that, despite the categori-

zation problem, physical anthropology applications have had a relatively good record of success. A confounding problem is Program Officer turn-

over, noted both Rob and Anne Katzenberg. Rob went on to say that he would be interested to see if the fall/winter ‟10 competition results an-

nounced in spring ‟11 add some degree of clarification regarding the position of bioarchaeology and “health” applications. He went on to say that a

possible direction to pursue would be to have CAPA-ACAP join with the Canadian Psychological Association and the Canadian Sociological Associa-

tion to voice our concerns in unison to SSHRC.

b) Nominating Committee(s):

The Nominating Committee(s) shall be composed of two regular (full) members, and a student member. Nominations are sought for two positions:

i) nominations for the position of Secretary-Treasurer are to be made by the end of 2010;

ii) the President‟s current term ends in 2011; nominations for President will be sought between now and the 2011 Annual Meeting.

The Nominating Committee was readily composed, with Richard Lazenby, Tracy Prowse (regular members) and Julia Gamble (student member)

offering their services. The Nominating Committee will forward nomination to Rob in advance of the relevant dates, and Rob will communicate the

nominations to the CAPA-ACAP membership via the capa-l e-mail listserv.

5. Secretary-Treasurer’s Report (see attached) –

Richard Lazenby moved to accept the Secretary-Treasurer‟s Report; Andrew Nelson seconded the motion. The Secretary-Treasurer‟s Report was

approved.

6. Newsletter Editor’s Report –

i) There was an abysmal response rate to the request for Departmental News input to the CAPA-ACAP Newsletter.

ii) Rob encourages CAPA-ACAP to start up a Facebook page; the comment came from the floor that one thing of which we would have to be

mindful is security. Rob suggested that perhaps Megan Highet and Christine Boston could look into this.

7. Student Representative Report –

There was no report presented; the Student Representative was not in attendance.

8. Other Business –

Future Annual Meetings:

i) 2011 – Montréal (hosted by the Université de Montréal)

ii) 2012 – Winnipeg (hosted by the University of Winnipeg)?

iii) 2013 – back to southern Ontario again?

Rob then asked, rhetorically, if there was any other “other business”? Anne Katzenberg chimed in that thanks were due to Sylvia Abonyi, David

Cooper, and the rest of the Local Organizers for their fine work in putting together the 2010 Annual Meeting. Rob concurred. There followed

much applause!

Michelle Drapeau suggested that there might be a place for a category of conference participant of “Non-member, presenting” (i.e., a paper or

poster). Rob noted that it is still less expensive to take out a CAPA-ACAP membership and register as a member of the Association, than to regis-

ter as a non-member. So, a “Non-member, presenting” category of registrant would not really be economically appealing.

Yasmine Carter brought forward a student question/comment, wondering if a student were first author on a multi-author presentation, would they

be eligible for the student prize? Or, perhaps, could there be a new prize (with its own judging committee) could be established to cover such pres-

entations? Rob suggested that students could bring ideas and suggestions to the Student Rep., to see if there is sufficient interest to support some-

thing like this. Richard Lazenby, in turn, proposed that students award a new prize for the best presentation by a regular (full) member of the Asso-

ciation – the proposal was greeted with waves of laughter!

With that, Rob asked for a motion to adjourn the Business Meeting; Richard Lazenby made the motion, and it was seconded by Andrew Nelson. All

were in favour; Rob thanked everyone for their attendance and the Business Meeting was adjourned at 5:29 PM.

CAPA / ACAP

Volume 2011 Issue 1

CAPA-ACAP Meetings 2010

Podium Abstracts:

SESSION 1: FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY

The Relation between Standard Error of the Estimate and Sample Size of Histomorphometric Ageing Methods

Hennig C and D Cooper.

Session 1: Forensic Anthropology; October-28 at 9:00 AM Histomorphometric ageing methods report varying degrees of precision (measured through standard error of the estimate or SEE). These tech-

niques have often been developed on variable samples sizes (n) and the impact of this parameter on SEE is poorly understood. This paper explores

the relationship between n and reported SEE through a review of the literature (abstracts, articles, book chapters, theses, and dissertations) and a

mathematical simulation. Thirty-eight studies reporting n and SEE in years were included in the current study. Reported SEE values were highly

variable ranging from 2.58 to 16.00 years (Mean: 8.51; Stdev: 3.56). To examine the probabilistic relationship between n and SEE we generated a

simulated population of 50,000 individuals where histomorphometric „ages‟ were assumed to reflect normally distributed random error about

chronological age. SEE values were calculated for randomly selected subsamples of varying size. This simulation revealed that in large samples

(>100) SEE converges on the level of variation present in the population; however, in smaller samples SEE becomes increasingly variable. In gen-

eral, this pattern matched the observed pattern of published SEE values. While numerous sources of variation exist between different methods,

the impact of insufficient sample size should not be overlooked. Notably, while SEE values as low as 2.58 years have been reported, studies which

exceed 150 individuals report a mean SEE value of 11.05 years (Stdev: 1.91). Meaningful comparison of the precision of different approaches re-

quires larger samples than are frequently used and would ideally be based upon standardized samples.

You are what you do….or are you? Using musculoskeletal stress markers in personal identification through correlations with

occupation type.

Cahn J.

Session 1: Forensic Anthropology; October-28 at 9:15 AM

Victim identification through skeletal remains is a primary goal among forensic anthropologists. According to the United States Federal Bureau of

Investigation, 86% of victims know their killer; therefore the identification of the victim may facilitate the apprehension of the assailant, as well as

bring closure to grieving families. Determining the occupation of the deceased would assist in identification by narrowing the pool of potential

matches from missing persons databases. Habitual, occupational and recreational activities of an individual during life have been shown to cause

morphological changes in bone. A specific class of changes, musculoskeletal stress markers (MSMs) was analyzed in order to investigate for any

correlation between MSM expression and occupation type. It was hypothesized that MSM expression would show a positive correlation with the

degree of physical activity of an occupation. Five muscle insertion sites of the upper arm were scored for MSM expression according to the

Hawkey and Merbs method, on a sample of individuals of known occupation from the Luís Lopes skeletal collection housed at the Natural History

Museum in Lisbon, Portugal. Occupation type did not show any correlation with MSM expression magnitude. There was a lack of consistent differ-

ence between the bone morphology of the two occupation types tested (physically strenuous and non-strenuous). Although anecdotal relation-

ships persist in the literature, predicting occupation type from MSM expression patterns lacks the accuracy and precision required for use and

admissibility in a forensic context. Variables such as body size, age, and handedness complicate the occupation determination process.

Geographic variation of stable isotopes in the tissues of western Canadians

Engel N.


Stable isotope analysis of forensically significant human remains is a relatively new addition to the methods used for forensic identification. Current

research in this area seeks to establish baseline data for populations worldwide and to observe any useful geographic trends. The aim of this study

is to examine the viability of stable isotope analysis to determine geographic origin of human remains in western Canada. This is achieved through

stable carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and strontium isotope analysis of hair, nail and teeth of people living in Chilliwack, British Columbia and Calgary,

Alberta. Intra-population variation is examined to understand the baseline for each location. Dietary differences (i.e. amount of animal protein)

account for most of the variation within populations. Inter-population differences may be due to dietary differences between regions, perhaps

reflecting different sources of food and water between the study locations. Discriminant functions are developed that successfully classify 84.3% of

participants using the original sample and 79.5% using a cross-validation sample. The success of these functions demonstrates the potential of this

identification technique in western Canada and supports the presence of regional variation despite a tendency towards a globally homogenized

diet. The isotope ratios obtained in this study will contribute to the utility of stable isotope analysis in forensic investigations by providing the foun-

dation of a reference database for comparison with human samples of unknown geographic origin. Such „like-to-like‟ comparisons are preferable to

comparisons with geological or climatological proxy data as the isotopic relationships among such samples are often very complex.

Who is John Doe? : An unconventional method of two dimensional facial approximation as a possible answer to one of Canada’s

most enduring mysteries.

Lywood V.


Blind study of an unidentified cranium circa 1900 -1920. Two dimensional (2d) facial approximation, drawing facial features over a photograph of the

skull, has been used for decades to approximate the appearance of the unknown individual as he appeared in life for the purpose of generating new

leads to the discovery of identity. An unconventional method of 2d facial approximation is used here to reconstruct the appearance of the subject in

life for comparison with life photos. Drawings reveal likeness to subject photo and cranial anomalies depicted show morphological details in life pho-

tos and offer a possible answer to one of Canada's most enduring mysteries. This method of reconstruction using minimal but vital craniofacial land-

marks can be utilized as a method to revisit cold cases or depict historic faces when only photos of the skull exist and the skeletal remains are no

longer available.

SESSION 2: PRIMATOLOGY

Establishing the Southwestern Limits in the Geographic Distributions of Eulemur coronatus and E. sanfordi

Colquhoun I.

Session 2: Primatology; October-28 at 10:30 AM

There is little doubt among primate biologists that nonhuman primate populations are in decline in almost all regions where they are found. While

this clearly raises conservation concerns, the conservation of nonhuman primate populations is hampered by a lack of definitive information regarding

the precise geographic distributions of species of concern. The situation is particularly acute in Madagascar, where the endemic lemuriform primates

have very restricted (but incompletely known) geographic distributions. Fieldwork in 2008 and 2010 at, and around, the KOFAMA community-

protected conservation area south of Ankarana National Park led to some clarification on this count. Fieldwork conducted in 2008 established that

the southwestern biogeographic limit of the crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus) must likely be the right (north) bank of the Mahavavy Nord River –

crowned lemurs were heard and observed on the massif immediately north of the Mahavavy Nord River; no suitable habitat for lemurs existed on

the south side of the river. In 2010, a concerted effort was made to find the southwestern extent of Sanford‟s brown lemur (E. sanfordi). It had not

been observed at KOFAMA in 2008, although local people did report its recent presence. During a survey north of the KOFAMA site, vocalizations

attributable to E. sanfordi were heard. This site was outside Ankarana National Park, but north of where crowned lemurs occur. Thus, both these

lemurid species occur to the southwest of Ankarana National Park, but the area of occupation of E. sanfordi is presently more closely tied to the

large protected area of Ankarana National Park.

The effect of infant age on male infant attraction, tolerance and handling in black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi)

Evans KJE, Hartwell KS, Pavelka MS, and H Notman.


Typically other females are most interested in infants, however in black handed spider monkeys (A. geoffroyi) males have been observed to engage in

infant handling, even though infants younger than 6 months of age spend most of their time either on or in close proximity to the mother. We exam-

ine whether the age and sex of the infant affects male infant attraction, tolerance and handling in A. geoffroyi. All occurrence data was collected from

January 2007 to July 2010 on a community of 35 wild spider monkeys at Runaway Creek Nature Reserve, Belize. During 884 hours of observation,

102 infant handling bouts, 12 infant handling attempts, and 27 infant tolerance bouts were recorded. Large juvenile, sub-adult and adult males handled

infants the most [N=76, 75% of all bouts]. Male infants were handled more often than female infants [Pearson X2=5.263, df=1, p=<0.05] and younger

infants were handled more often than older infants [Pearson X2=3.853, df=1, p=<0.05]. At less than 6 months male and female infants were handled

equally, but at greater than 6 months male infants were handled significantly more often [Pearson X2=12.448, df=1, p=<0.01]. Overall, infants appear

to be more attractive to males when they are younger and the continued interaction with male infants more than 6 months may be related to the

strong bonds among closely related adult males that characterize spider monkey society. This may reflect kinship-based affiliation or bond formation.

DNA barcoding and Next-Generation Sequencing of a Capuchin Fecal Sample to Identify Insects in the Diet

Mosdossy K, Fedigan L and M Hajibabaei.


White-faced capuchins are omnivorous, allocating 50% of their foraging time to insect consumption. It is nearly impossible for field observers to

identify each insect species consumed by the capuchins. This problem has been resolved in other mammal research by using the DNA barcoding

method and single-species samples. Now next-generation sequencing can identify multiple species in homogenates or fecal samples. We conducted a

pilot study to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of this process to the identification of insect species found in a capuchin fecal sample. Fecal sam-

ples were collected between September and December 2009 from four habituated capuchin groups in Sector Santa Rosa (SSR) in the Area Conser-

vación Guanacaste (ACG), a Costa Rican tropical dry forest. One fecal sample was analyzed in this pilot study using the conserved mitochondrial

gene, cytochrome c oxidase 1. Lepidoptera were the most abundant insect species identified in the fecal sample, and smaller samples of Hemiptera

and Diptera were also identified to the species level. Some unidentifiable arthropods and protists were sequenced and few sequences were unidenti-

fied. A large portion of the homogenate proved to be capuchin, however, a primate block was installed via primate primers. We conclude that next-

generation sequencing is an appropriate tool to identify otherwise unidentifiable insect species consumed by capuchins. Further research will analyze

CAPA / ACAP

insect nutrition, improve primate sequence blocking and increase the ACG insect species library. This is the first study to examine the insect con-

tent of the capuchin diet via genetic, species-level identification.

Infant Development and Suckling Patterns in Colobus vellerosus

MacDonald LJ and P Sicotte.


Infancy is a sensitive period of development spanning from birth to weaning. Lactation in Colobus vellerosus typically surpasses twelve months,

however the exact age at which infants are weaned is unknown. The overall goal of this study was to acquire preliminary data on the life stage of

infancy by documenting infant development from birth to weaning. Since suckling patterns have been shown to influence lactation and weaning age, I

examined whether nursing behavior varied with age. Data on 24 infants were collected ad libitum and focal animal sampling from May-November

2008 at Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, West Africa. Suckling patterns were determined using three measures: ventral contact, on nipple and

actual suckling. Actual suckling data was obtained using a spotting scope (20-60x). Over 189 h of focal data were analyzed by age/coat color (white,

grey, black and white). Results for white and grey infants showed little variation in suckling patterns during early development. Black and white

infants nursed more frequently and for longer durations than white and grey infants. Similarly, average rate of nipple contacts/bout was highest

when infants were black and white, thereby increasing with infant age. Interruptions during nursing bouts were initiated predominantly by infants

(84%). Mothers did not interrupt actual suckling, regardless of infant age. Milk transfer appears to occur at an average rate of 2:1 (2 jaw move-

ments/sec). Cessation of nursing was documented for four infants (range: 60-83wk). Further documentation of nursing behavior in this population

will allow us to confirm weaning age in this species.

Hair Lead Concentrations in Macaca Fasicularis from Singapore

Schillaci M, Lee B, Castellini JM, Reid M and T O'Hara.


Nonhuman primates are excellent sentinels of environmental toxicants because they share a similar physiology and life history with humans. The

purpose of this report is to present the results of an analysis of lead concentrations in hair from macaque monkeys in Singapore. The results of

laboratory analysis indicate a comparatively low level of environmental exposure to lead in monkeys, suggesting the threat to human public health

may be minimal. Hair lead concentrations varied both within social groups and by geographic location, with the highest concentrations observed in

monkeys residing within an area containing a small-arms firing range and a manufacturing facility. Although lead exposure in this area appears to be

relatively low, additional monitoring and possible remediation may be warranted. Our study is important to anthropology because it is among the

first to illustrate how primates can serve as effective sentinels of environmental toxicants such as lead.

SESSION 3: HUMAN HEALTH AND DISEASE: PAST AND PRESENT

Bilateral Asymmetry of the Humerus Throughout Growth and Development

Blackburn A.

Session 3a: Human Health and Disease, Past and Present; October-28 at 1:30 PM

One of the most distinctive characteristics of humans is our population-level preference for right-handedness. It is well established that the majority

of humans are right-handed, meaning they use their right hand for most one-handed tasks. However, the process through which handedness devel-

ops in children remains somewhat unclear, with many children exhibiting a preference for the left hand early in life. Even less clear is how hand

preference is reflected in the bones of non-adults. This paper investigates morphological variation and bilateral asymmetry of the humerus in past

human populations for evidence of the development of hand preference in childhood. A large skeletal sample of non-adults from British archaeologi-

cal sites was examined in order to detect when handedness appears in the human skeleton. Traditional measurements were combined with 3D data

in order to provide a comprehensive picture of bilateral asymmetry. Results of this work indicate a striking trend from symmetry/ left-handedness

to right-handedness during growth and development. Interestingly, this trend is consistent with what has been observed behaviourally in children,

suggesting that biomechanical forces strongly influence bilateral asymmetry in the upper limb bones.

Immunogenetic Variation in Manitoba Aboriginal Populations: Preliminary Analyses

Decter K.


This study investigates the extent of immunogenetic variability in Manitoba‟s Aboriginal groups and explores how genetics, and the unique cultural

histories, may contribute to differential disease resistance and/or susceptibility. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is analyzed due to its role as a pro-

inflammatory cytokine that modulates the adaptive immune response by favouring the generation of a Th-1 (cell-mediated) over a Th-2 (humoral)

immune response. The lower production of the IL-12p40 subunit has been previously associated with a suppressed ability to generate the Th-1

immune response, a response that is optimized to eradicate invading M. tuberculosis. A total of 313 samples from three aboriginal communities

were included, representing the Dene, Cree and Ojibwa/Saulteaux people of Manitoba as well as a Caucasian population. Blood and buccal samples

were taken from non related individuals to be evaluated through PCR and RFLP methods. At exon 8 3‟-untranslated region there is a SNP (A-C) at

position 16974, the preliminary results show that the aboriginal populations have a higher frequency of C alleles at 16974, which is associated

Volume 2011 Issue 1

with a lower production of the IL-12p40 subunit, than the Caucasian cohort. The Dene have the highest frequency of C alleles, followed by the

Cree, followed by the Ojibwa/Saulteaux, who approach the A allele favouring frequency of the Caucasian cohort. These results have identified

genetic variations in key immunological pathways between Aboriginal and Caucasian groups as well as within the Aboriginal cohorts. The unique

cultural histories of these people have likely influenced their immunogenetic profiles, which may contribute to differential disease susceptibility.

A Health Advantaged Population and Community Resilience: The Jews of Gibraltar

Tripp L and L Sawchuk.


The nature of the Jewish health advantage was evaluated by comparing life expectancy among the Gibraltarian nineteenth century Jewish popula-

tion, co-residing Roman Catholics and Roman Catholics that lived only with Roman Catholics. The period life table and decomposition method

were conducted to compare life expectancy between the Jews and Roman Catholics. The second stage of research examined the mortality differ-

entials at the residential level and during different states of ecological stress: high ecological stress (HES) and low ecological stress (LES). The Jew-

ish population experienced a survivorship advantage relative to the Roman Catholics (6.2 year difference); where the under-5 years of age bands

and the 35-44 year interval contributed the most to the disparity in life expectancy. The diarrheal complex was the cause of death that contributed

most to this disparity (51%). During times of LES, a 7.5 year difference was observed between the Jews and the Roman Catholics that lived by

themselves. During times of HES, the life expectancy of the Jewish community remained stable whereas the Roman Catholics suffered a marked

depreciation in life expectancy; the Jews on average lived 11-12 years longer than the Roman Catholics. We conclude that the health disparities

observed among the populations were attributed to economics and its interaction with water security, domestic hygiene and social capital. The

Roman Catholics that co-resided with the Jews appear to have benefited from the Jewish lifestyle. Furthermore, health disparities at the population

level appear to be ecologically contingent, in that during times of HES the Jews displayed enhance community resilience compared to the Roman

Catholics.

The media representation of the term “pandemic” during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.

Stoops M.


In April 2009, a novel strain of influenza A/H1N1 was identified in North America. The virus quickly spread, leading to the declaration of a pan-

demic in June 2009 until August 2010 by the WHO. Despite meeting the official criteria, which is based on geographic spread, there has been

widespread criticism that H1N1 was not a “real pandemic” since it was relatively mild. The media is one source blamed for linking a pandemic with

increased severity. This study examines the media representation of the pandemic which differs from the official definition. The results are prelimi-

nary findings of a case study of the epidemic narrative in the local and national newspapers distributed in Saskatoon, SK. Based on social represen-

tation theory, representations for new events are developed through the process of “anchoring” to known historical events, metaphors, and sym-

bols. The “anchors” that are used help to define the new phenomenon, in this case the influenza pandemic, and may distort the perception based

on what is emphasized or omitted. During the outbreak, the severity was the defining feature for comparisons between previous flu pandemics and

seasonal flu. The 1918 Spanish flu was used as the standard example for pandemics. Overemphasize on the number of deaths gave the false impres-

sion that pandemics always result in high mortality rates. H1N1 was also compared and contrasted to seasonal influenza which caused confusion

over the difference between seasonal flu and pandemic flu. The comparisons that are used can affect the perception and expectations for a disease

outbreak.

Deadly Occupations Examining Historical Demographic and Epidemiologic Patterns in Two Canadian Single Industry Commu-

nities

Ludlow N.


This research is a comprehensive study of Canadian occupational health in the past using a demographic and epidemiological model. Working age

males (15-64 years of age) from two single-industry communities (Sydney & Glace Bay) were chosen to examine how occupation affected mortal-

ity patterns during the Canadian industrial era (turn of the 20th century). Archival death registry data and census data was collected for the study

period (1909-1917) and used in the analyses. Major demographic findings reflected patterns associated with company town structure. Key mortal-

ity patterns revealed that tuberculosis and accidents significantly impacted a number of variables like: occupation, age at death, place of birth, and

place of residence. This research exposed the affects of occupation in causing health insults for a specific cohort, in turn reflecting the importance

of occupation as a factor in heightening morbidity and mortality in a population. Biological anthropologists working in archival research have pro-

duced a large body of work, which this study adds to by examining the impact of occupation on human historical health patterns. Occupation,

being a fundamental part of the human experience, crosses many sub-disciplinary boundaries in anthropological research from skeletal morphology

to socio-cultural/political organization. The research presented here encapsulates the experience of miners and steel workers at a point in time

where insults to health were a part of daily life. By adding to current anthropological literature, this research hopes to increase the understanding

and importance of occupation when examining demographic and epidemiological population trends whether current, historic, or in antiquity.

CAPA / ACAP

No Shelter from the Storm: housing and tuberculosis in Lac Brochet

Larcombe L, Singer M, Orr P and P Nickerson

Session 3b: Human Health and Disease, Past and Present; October-28 at 3:15 PM

Researchers from the University of Manitoba have partnered with Northlands Denesuline First Nation to investigate the genetic, social and envi-

ronmental conditions that are risk factors for tuberculosis infection and disease. At the request of the Chief and Council we undertook a detailed

housing assessment that involved the collection of qualitative and quantitative data about the conditions of the housing stock in the community.

This 10 minute video was developed at the community‟s request to visually present the shocking housing conditions and to express their con-

cerns, in their own words, about the impact on health. The results of the housing study have been used by the Chief and Council for advocacy

and education at numerous meetings locally, provincially and nationally and the researchers have been called upon to support advocacy and edu-

cate on their behalf.

From knowledge to practice: infant feeding and vitamin D supplementation among Canadian-born and New Canadian mothers

and children in Hamilton, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta

Chadwick S, Amarra S, Moffat T and W Wilson.


This research investigates whether New Canadian mothers and their children may be more vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency compared to their

Canadian-born counterparts. We explored mothers‟ knowledge, practice and beliefs about vitamin D supplementation. Focus groups composed

of either New Canadian or Canadian-born mothers were held with 37 mothers, recruited through the Ontario Early Years Centres in Hamilton

and 35 mothers, recruited through the Refugee Health Clinic and the Alberta Network of Immigrant Women in Calgary. Almost all of the moth-

ers supplemented their breastfeeding infants with vitamin D, though in practice supplementation was not always daily or easy. Knowledge of

vitamin D varied; most mothers understood the basic role of vitamin D in bone health, but there was some confusion about synthesis from

sunlight and dietary sources. With the exception of the Sudanese refugees, all mothers took a prenatal multi-vitamin during pregnancy; however,

only a few Canadian-born mothers supplemented with additional vitamin D during pregnancy, despite current thinking that even 1000 IU of vita-

min D daily supplementation for pregnant women may not be sufficient for mother and fetus. For New Canadian mothers, husbands and grand-

mothers are key players in their social support network and should be included in health messaging. The most consistent source of vitamin D

information is mothers‟ support groups, an important access point for health and parenting resources. Though these mothers are quite health

literate, there still remains some confusion about vitamin D nutrition. Parents require more detailed information and clear prenatal and age-based

recommendations for supplementation.

The Relationship between sitting height and body mass index in Canadian Inuit: results from the 2007-8 Inuit Health Survey

Galloway T, Chateau-Degat ML, Egeland GM and K Younk.


High sitting height ratio (sitting height/height [SHR]) is a characteristic commonly associated with Inuit morphology. Since the 1870s, in both

narrative and anthropometric sources from across the circumpolar world, Inuit are described as having shorter leg lengths and higher trunk-to-

stature proportions than European populations. The phenomenon of high SHR is thought to be associated in some way with the limited meta-

bolic changes observed in obese Canadian and Greenland Inuit. It may be that cutoffs for obesity derived from European populations do not ade-

quately describe thresholds of risk among Inuit. The present study presents Inuit stature and obesity data and investigates the relationship be-

tween SHR and body mass index (BMI). Subjects are 2168 individuals (837 males and 1331 females) from 36 Inuit communities in the Canadian

Arctic. We use multiple regression to examine the extent to which age, sex, height, sitting height and SHR influence BMI. We then evaluate the

efficacy of the relative sitting height adjustment as a method of correcting observed BMI to a standardized SHR reflective of the European popula-

tions from which BMI cutoffs are derived. The results of stature analysis reveal Inuit adults exhibit standing heights 6-9 cm lower than that ob-

served in the general Canadian population. Mean BMI is significantly higher than among non-Inuit Canadians and obesity prevalence is extremely

high, particularly among Inuit women. In the regression (adjusted R2=.090) only age (Beta standardized=.213, p=.000) and sex (Beta standard-

ized=.280, p=.000) are significant predictors of BMI. Contrary to observations in non-Inuit subjects, we find no consistent relationship between

SHR and BMI. There is substantial agreement between overweight and obesity prevalence values using observed and corrected BMI. However

sitting height correction did result in the classification of lower numbers of individuals in the overweight and obese categories and greater num-

bers of individuals in the underweight category, a finding that has implications for health screening. The distribution of SHR in this population is

quite broad and mean SHR is consistent with values in the US population. Results suggest the unique anthropometric and metabolic profile ob-

served in Inuit arises from factors not yet delineated, among them unique patterns of fat and lean mass and tissue density arising from physiologic

and dietary adaptations. The present study underscores the need for imaging studies in Inuit.

Volume 2011 Issue 1

Secular trends in growth among adult Makushi Amerindians of Guyana

Wilson WM, Bulkan J, Piperata B and K Hicks.


Background: The mean height of adults in a population reflects the social, economic and political conditions under which those people live. Hence, a

study of age related trends in adult body size have the potential to enhance our understanding of how the conditions experienced by a population

have changed over time. There are, however, very few such studies for indigenous peoples of South America‟s lowland tropics. Aim: The purpose of

this study is to analyze cross-sectional anthropometric data from Makushi adults born between 1920 and 1980. Subjects and methods: Dependent

variables include height, BMI, and Cormic index for 230 females and 112 males, 20-90 years of age. The independent variable is the year of birth.

Makushi data are compared with those of other indigenous peoples of South America‟s lowland tropics, international growth references, and data

collected for the Makushi in 1921. Pearson‟s correlation is used to assess the potential relationship between year of birth and height, BMI, and Cor-

mic index. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare Makushi height in 1921 and 2000-2001. Results: The mean height of Makushi adults

was largely consistent with other indigenous populations of South America‟s lowland tropics. A secular trend is evident in both Makushi height and

Cormic index. Stratified by year of birth, height has increased and Cormic index decreased between1920-1980. Conclusion: The observed secular

trends between 1920-1980 may be due to public health measures initiated by the British colonial authorities and, possibly, genetic admixture. Fund-

ing: Wenner-Gren Foundation (WMW), U. Calgary (WMW).

SESSION 4: SKELETAL BIOLOGY AND BIOARCHEOLOGY

The influence of body size on adult age estimation in small-bodied skeletons.

Merritt, C.

Session 4a: Skeletal Biology and Bioarcheology; October-29 at 9:00 AM

Introduction: Estimating adult skeletal age-at-death is important to reconstruction of accurate life histories and demographic profiles. The most reli-

able and frequently used methods are based on changes to pelvic morphology, an area subject to loads that vary with body weight; however, the

influence of body dimensions and mass on skeletal aging remains undetermined. This study assessed weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing skeletal

surfaces of an archaeologically derived collection. Methods: Eight age estimation methods were applied to 64 Later Stone Age (LSA) southern African

Holocene hunter-gatherers with an average stature and mass of 152cm and 45kg to assess patterns of age estimation within and between individuals.

The pubic symphysis, auricular surface, and acetabulum represented the weight-bearing joints; the first and fourth ribs represented the non-weight-

bearing sites. Results: Ranked non-parametric tests show that DiGangi et al.‟s first rib age method consistently yields the youngest ages, while Buck-

berry and Chamberlain‟s auricular surface method consistently generates the oldest ages. When combined, the rib age methods consistently rank

youngest, the auricular surface oldest, with the pubic symphysis and acetabulum in the middle. The range between the youngest and oldest ranks

within individuals is generally greater than 15 years. Conclusion: Analysis of small-bodied skeletons suggests that there are different age-related pat-

terns among weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing joints. Among the sites tested, the auricular surface, which supports most of the weight-load

during life, shows the oldest ages, despite the low body mass of this sample. Work is underway to expand the study to include large-bodied skeletons

with known at-death ages and weights.

Growth of a Canadian Inuit Population

Holland E.


Long bone growth is considered the single best indicator of an individual‟s health and nutritional status. As a result subadu lt long bones are useful

tools to compare the growth between different populations either across time periods or geographical regions. The purpose of this research was to

establish the growth profile of the Sadlermiut, a Canadian Inuit population from Southampton Island, Nunavut, to understand their health as a group

and in comparison to other populations. Age was assessed using dental development and eruption for all individuals less than 20 years of age. Diaphy-

seal lengths of all six long bones were determined and mean bone lengths for age groups established. Mean long bone lengths were compared to the

Arikara, a Californian Amerindian population, an Eskimo population, the Aleut from Alaska and a modern population of European descent. The re-

sults indicate a high prevalence of infant mortality among the Sadlermiut. The growth of the Sadlermiut was comparable to that of the Eskimo and

Aleut from Alaska, yet less than that of modern children of European descent and other Aboriginal archaeological populations from North America.

An understanding of the health and growth of this extinct Inuit group aids in developing a more accurate picture of their lives.

An Oxygen Isotopic Examination of Moche Sociopolitical Complexity Using Residential Histories of the Huacas de Moche People

Toyne JM, White CD, Verano JW, Uceda S, Hewitt B and FJ Longstaffe.


In this paper we use phosphate oxygen-isotope compositions to reconstruct the residential histories of Moche individuals interred in residential,

tomb and sacrificial contexts from the prehispanic Peruvian site of Huacas de Moche. These data are used to address issues regarding Moche (AD

100-700) state formation by understanding urban population dynamics and community interaction on the Andean coast. During the rise of the Moche

state densely populated, urban centers with monumental architecture were created. Their distribution and material culture have lead to debate over

the nature of the Moche state, i.e. did it develop into a single, centralized state, was it divided into northern and southern realms, or was it a

CAPA / ACAP

coalition of autonomous valley-based polities? We reconstruct the relocation history of 34 individuals by comparing δ 18O values of enamel

(formed during childhood) and bone (continuously remodels), using the δ 18O values of local water sources as a baseline for their interpretation.

There are no significant differences between bone and tooth δ 18O values in individuals from either residential compounds or platform mound

tombs. In addition the δ 18O values of residential and tomb groups are the same as local water estimates, which confirms the existence of a local

elite. One sacrificial group (Platform 3C) appears to be completely local but another (Platform 3A) appears to be comprised of individuals who

grew up locally but spent a significant part of their lives elsewhere together before returning to become ritual offerings.

Quantitative analysis of enamel development across a dentition

Harrington L.


This paper demonstrates a new technique for visualising surface features of enamel. Infinite focus microscopy was used to quanitify perikymata

counts and spacing across multiple teeth from a single dentition of archaeological origin. Three-dimensional models of tooth surfaces were created,

and surface roughness analysis software was used to identify perikymata . Perikyma groove depth and spacing were measured, allowing enamel de-

fects to be quantitatively identified and matched across teeth within the dentition. This technique is an application of engineering surface metrology

that offers improvements over SEM and other existing microscopy techniques for visualising tooth surfaces. Relatively quick and non-destructive

techniques for studying enamel development offer the potential for expanding our understanding of variation in crown formation times across hu-

man populations. Enamel defects can be visualised in three-dimensions and measured in relation to normal enamel development within the tooth, or

as episodes observable in multiple teeth. The developmental history for the enamel of one individual is presented here as a case study highlighting

the bioarchaeological and ontogenetic significance of this approach when expanded to larger samples.

Modeling-remodeling comparisons in bones of the human hand

Drapeau M, Raguin É, Lazenby RA and MA Streeter.

Session 4b: Skeletal Biology and Bioarcheology; October-29 at 10:30 AM

It has been proposed that intracortical remodeling is a mechanism to repair microfractures, which naturally occur in loaded bones. This preliminary

study tests the hypothesis that bones incurring greater loads will also be characterized by increased remodeling. We compare macroscopic and

microscopic variables of the right and left second metacarpals of a human archaeological sample (n=32) from the 19th century St. Thomas ceme-

tery, Belleville, Ontario. For each bone section, the osteon population density (OPD) was measured on the anterior, posterior, lateral and medial

quadrants. The maximum and minimum second moment of area (Imax and Imin), moments about the anteroposterior and mediolateral axes (Iap

and Iml) and the polar moment of inertia (J) were measured. Results for right and left bones are compared with paired t-tests. Relations between

macro- and microscopic values are evaluated by first calculating percent right-left differences for all variables and then performing linear regressions.

Right-left comparisons of macroscopic variables (I and J) are all significant, with the right side always being larger. However, right-left comparisons

of OPD are not significant, except for the anterior quadrant that has greater OPD on the right side in females. All regressions between macro-

scopic variables and OPD are non-significant. These results suggest that metacarpals from the right hand incur greater loads than those of the left

hand. However, against expectations, the greater load experienced by the right hand does not correlate with greater bone remodeling on that side.

Caution is advised when using remodeling as an indicator of loading history.

Biofilm Growth in a Human Skeletal Collection from Bronze Age Syria

Pitre M, Mayne Correia P, Mankowski PJ, Klassen J, Day MJ, Lovell NC and RS Currah.


Investigators have long recognised the effects of microbial activity onarchaeological bone. These investigators, however, have focused on single or

groups of microbes rather than on complex microbial aggregates such asbiofilms, a focus that has affected curatorial policies. In this paper, we re-

port on the investigation of a biofilm in archaeological human bone from the site of Tell Leilan, Syria. Based on scanning electron microscopy, the

results indicate that the biofilm is characterised by single cells and microcolonies of bacterial and fungal structures, as well as calcite crystals, all of

which are embedded within extracellular polymeric substances. Using culture techniques and DNA sequencing, we isolated and identified several

microbes from the biofilm including Amycolatopsis sp and Penicillium chrysogenum, along with species of Aspergillus, Chaetomium, and Cladospo-

rium. This improved understanding of the biodeterioration of the bone from Tell Leilan allows us now to focus on conservation protocols designed

to limit such microbial growth in human skeletal collections in the future.

Challenging Museum Standards for Skeletal Material

Mayne Correia P and MC Pitre.


Numerous publications are available that discuss best museum practices. This literature discusses the criteria for care and storage of the wide vari-

ety of items commonly held in museums – from insects to textiles and meteorites to marbles. Museum personnel dutifully adhere to these guide-

lines and practices with the intent to protect their collections from destruction. In this paper, we challenge the belief that the existing guidelines are

effective in protecting skeletal collections from microbial destruction. Several researchers have identified fungal and bacterial growth within

Volume 2011 Issue 1

archaeological bone, but it is generally assumed that the damage occurred while buried, prior to excavation. Our ongoing research has highlighted

the complexity of the microbial communities living within the bones and identified the problem of continued microbial activity in bones while in stor-

age. We suggest that it is time to take a critical look at current practices associated with the storage of skeletal remains. Given the thousands of

skeletal remains (both human and non-human) currently stored in our institutions, the threat from microbial destruction is very serious. We would

suggest that, whereas conservators have identified this microbial destruction as a significant problem in the protection monuments and stone works

stored outside, this problem is equally significant to the storage of skeletal collections. Although museum personnel acknowledge that it is crucial to

collect and store skeletal remains using best conservation practices, in this paper we suggest that there is insufficient evidence to assess the success

of current practices.

The Vampires of Drawsko: A Bioarchaeological look at the Undead

Scott A, and T Betsinger.


“Nosferatu,” “strigoi,” “nocturnus,” and “night stalker” are all colloquial terms for arguably, the most notorious mythical creature depicted through-

out history: the vampire. Vampires and vampirism have an extended history in many cultures throughout the world and are still represented in con-

temporary society in a variety of media outlets. Recent archaeological work at the Drawsko 1 cemetery site in north western Poland suggests that

the fear of vampires and vampirism were a reality during the late 17th and early 18th century. Based on historical and ethnographic records, it is

known that the village of Drawsko experienced at least one cholera epidemic. Recent excavations of a possible epidemic cemetery reveal that anti-

vampirism measures were part of burial practices, and specific individuals were interred as vampires, as a likely means to protect the village members

from harm. Utilizing skeletal data, historical records, and archaeological data, we argue that four individuals, in particular, illustrate cases of „vampire

graves.‟ Additionally, we suggest that such notions of vampirism and the use of anti-vampirism practices by this population is likely the result of the

cholera epidemic(s). While this study is preliminary, its purpose is to explore the bioarchaeological evidence of vampirism and the possibility of cor-

relating this type of burial practice to dramatic health shifts within a population.

Burial Practices and Identity in the Roman-period at Sodo, Italy

Jessup E.

Session 4c: Skeletal Biology and Bioarcheology; October-29 at 1:30 PM

The Etruscan funerary tumuli at Sodo, Italy were constructed near the beginning of the sixth century BCE and served both as tombs for burying the

dead and as visible reminders of the rigid local social structure. The fourth and third centuries BC saw re-use of these tumuli by the subsequent gen-

erations of elite principes. In recent decades, this Etruscan complex has yielded human remains that date to the late-Republican and early-Imperial

Roman periods. Unlike the earlier burials, the Roman-period inhumations are associated with meagre grave goods and are not located within the

burial chambers, but rather around the outside of the tumuli and the tombs-proper. Consideration of the progression of Roman conquest of Etruria

and a comparison of Etruscan and Roman burial practices provide clues to the identity of these individuals. Specifically, the matter of Etruscan de-

scent or Roman immigration is focused on and its implications for understanding the purpose of this funerary association is explored. Preliminary

skeletal data will also be presented.

The prehistoric sites of Staxton Beacon and Melton on the Yorkshire Wolds, England.

Whitaker K.


The Yorkshire Wolds have had much archaeological and antiquarian interest over the past two centuries and currently two prehistoric sites are

under investigation, Staxton Beacon and Melton. Staxton Beacon, located in the north-eastern Wolds, was excavated by Terry Manby in 1958-9 and

skeletal remains belonging to people from the Bronze Age as well as partially burnt wooden structures were uncovered. Melton was more recently

opened during a rescue excavation by On Site Archaeology (2004-5) in advance of a proposed road extension scheme. They found prehistoric skele-

tal remains spanning the Late Bronze Age to Late Iron Age along with round houses, a linear cemetery and two square barrows. Skeletal analyses

were carried out at the University of York, while additional work, specifically stable isotope analysis was conducted at Vrije University in Amsterdam,

through the Europlanet Research Infrastructure grant. This has allowed for a multi-faceted assessment to uncover the evidence of life histories and

daily life through demographic profiles, paleopathology, non-metric traits and stable isotope analysis of these prehistoric peoples. The research aims

include exploring the local versus non-local members of each site and their possible association or separation from the rest of the population

through differing burial practices, pathologies and traumas and even diet. This snapshot of two sites on the Yorkshire Wolds is a detailed aspect of

the doctoral thesis exploring multiple sites and time periods pertaining to our understanding of prehistoric continuity and change in the English re-

gion of East Yorkshire and how that relates to wider British prehistory.

Insights into the investigation of Late Bronze Age populations in Transylvania

Gloux S and A Gonciar.


Archaeology is well developed in Eastern Europe and helps acquire relevant information to better understanding the ways past populations lived and

expanded throughout the European continent. While, in Romania, archaeology has done much in that sense, physical anthropology has been

CAPA / ACAP

disregarded or limited to basic identification of sex and age. The ArchaeoTek osteology workshop program is part of a wider project focusing on

the study of Late Bronze Age populations from the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni Complex (NSCC). This project focuses on the Transylvanian

component of the Noua Culture. In this area, the Noua civilization is known mostly from the study of cemeteries. As a result, the Noua popula-

tion is structurally invisible due to the absence of data regarding settlement, spatial organization and social structure. The study of the Noua graves

has been done almost exclusively from an archaeological perspective. The scope of the project is to investigate a sample of the Noua population in

terms of advanced morphology, DNA and stable isotope studies. The goal is to achieve a better understanding of these populations by examining

who they were, where they were coming from, how they lived, and their geographic and cultural radiation. The osteological material being studied

(135 individuals) is stored at the National Museum of History of Transylvania (MNIT) in Cluj-Napoca. The purpose of this paper is to present

preliminary results from a 2 months investigation of 40 individuals. In regards to the first set of analysis, the preliminary conclusions are encourag-

ing and highly promising for the future of this project.

Factors Affecting the Incidence of Septal Aperture in Two Neolithic Hunter-Gatherer Populations of the Cis-Baikal, Siberia

Macintosh A.


Sixty-six postcranial non-metric skeletal traits were documented in two Cis-Baikal populations, the early Neolithic (6800-4900 BC) Kitoi culture

and the late Neolithic-early Bronze Age (4200-1700 BC) Isakovo-Serovo-Glazkovo (ISG) cultural complex. The two populations are separated in

the archaeological record by a 700-year gap and the existing body of knowledge suggests that they are distinct and have considerably different

adaptive regimes. Classification trees were used with the aim of examining population, side, sex, and age differences in trait expression for evi-

dence of biological distinctiveness, differing activity patterns, divisions of labour, and interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Septal

aperture was strongly representative of the ISG in analyses. Given this trait‟s probable association with skeletal robusticity, these results compli-

ment previous work suggesting that the ISG were less robust than the Kitoi. The trait was also more common in females than in males, likely due

to a mix of factors including robusticity and sex differences in elbow hypermobility. Septal aperture was most common in the youngest age group

examined (15-20 year olds) and incidence decreased with age. This may reflect multiple factors like robusticity and changes in the angle of the

olecranon process and joint mobility with increasing age. Not only does the incidence of septal aperture in these populations support previous

research on robusticity, these results also demonstrate the importance of a comprehensive perspective when examining the etiology of skeletal

traits.

The Bioarchaeology of Habitual Activity and Dietary Change in the Siberian Middle Holocene

Lieverse AR, Stock JT, Katzenberg MA and CM Haverkort.

Session 4d: Skeletal Biology and Bioarcheology; October-29 at 3:00 PM

Subsistence activities and associated mobility and habitual behavior are explored among hunter-fisher-gatherers from the Cis-Baikal region of Sibe-

ria. We analysed musculoskeletal stress markers (MSM) and diaphyseal robusticity as well as stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and strontium in

skeletal remains of over 200 individuals from five cemetery samples. These samples represent two distinct cultural complexes, Kitoi (8000-

7000/6800 cal. BP) and Isakovo-Serovo-Glasovo (ISG) (6000/5800-4000 cal. BP). Research questions include the relative reliance on terrestrial and

aquatic resources, residential versus logistic mobility, and whether or not watercraft were used for subsistence activities and transportation. Re-

sults of morphological analyses are complementary, and indicate that the intensity of physical activity remained relatively constant among groups

over time, while specific patterns of activity changed. Musculoskeletal stress markers suggest the use of watercraft and this is supported by long

bone robusticity data for the humeri and femora. Paleodietary analyses indicate widespread reliance on aquatic resources but with a shift from

shallow water to open water species, and varying reliance on terrestrial resources, in part, related to site location. Strontium isotope analyses,

carried out on samples from three of the five sites, suggest some interesting variation between sites located along the Angara River and its tribu-

taries versus a lakeshore site.

Quackenbush Revisited: Two Additional Skeletons from Intramural Graves

Liston M.


The Late Woodland site of Quackenbush, ON is perhaps best known for a mass grave, containing the primary burials of eight adults and four juve-

niles, and a secondary bundle burial of an adult female. As previously reported at CAPA 1999 (H. Cary and M.A. Liston), The adult skeletons ex-

hibit extensive evidence of perimortem trauma, including fractures, sharp and blunt force trauma, mutilation, and scalping. A recent project at the

University of Waterloo has undertaken the study of the cultural remains from excavations at Quackenbush and to reconcile the plans of numerous

excavations. As part of this project, two additional skeletons now housed in the Royal Ontario Museum have been examined. One skeleton, an

adult male, also exhibits extensive evidence of perimortem trauma, including cranial vault fractures, facial fractures, limb fractures and probable

blade injuries. The second skeleton, a non-adult, probably female, has extensive lytic destruction of the vertebral bodies, probably indicative of

tuberculosis. These skeletons provide additional evidence for health status and warfare at this late prehistoric site in Ontario.

Volume 2011 Issue 1

Bioarchaeology of the Mlambalasi Rock Shelter, Tanzania: Excavation and Analysis of Possible Later Stone Age Remains

Sawchuk E.


The Mlambalasi rock shelter in the Iringa region of southern Tanzania is a new site with human remains that may date to the Pleistocene Later

Stone Age (LSA). The site possesses a rich archaeological record that spans the historic period, the Iron Age and the LSA. There are also Middle

Stone Age (MSA) deposits on the slope in front of the rock shelter. Test excavations were carried out in 2002 by a Tanzanian team led by Dr. Paul

Msemwa and in 2006 by a Canadian team led by Dr. Pamela Willoughby. Recently in 2010, Willoughby‟s team conducted a more thorough excava-

tion. Fragmentary, commingled human remains were recovered during all three field seasons.Osteobiographical analysis of the remains recovered

in 2006 revealed that two individuals were present: most of one adult and the manubrium of a juvenile. More of the same adult individual was

recovered in primary context in 2010. The archaeological context of these skeletons suggests they belong to the LSA. Additionally, snail shells

collected from the levels around the remains were AMS radiocarbon dated to 11,635 – 13,295 calibrated years BCE. The material excavated in

2002, housed at the National Museum of Tanzania, include the remains of another adult individual. Therefore, the minimum number of individuals

at this site is three. This paper will discuss recovery of the skeletons as well as the preliminary results of my osteobiographical analysis. Ongoing

bioarchaeological research at Mlambalasi suggests this site has great potential to increase our understanding of the East African Stone Age.

Reexamination of the Nature and Purpose of Macramallah's Rectangle, a First Dynasty Cemetery at Saqqara, Egypt

Semple D.


In this paper, I present a detailed reexamination of the spatial distribution, construction, and finds associated with Macramallah's Rectangle at

Saqqara. While the excavator believed the cemetery represented a middle class group, later analysts have argued that it is appropriately inter-

preted as a simultaneous retainer burial during the funeral rites of King Den, possibly including a sacrificial ritual. While detailed palaeopathological

records are not available, due to the large size of the cemetery (231 graves), I was able to conduct a focused inter-group comparison of the six

burial clusters, and to compare the burial situations of males, females, youths, and juveniles throughout the cemetery. This reexamination has high-

lighted similarities and differences between Macramallah's Rectangle and more securely identified retainer and subsidiary burials of the First Dy-

nasty at both Abydos and Saqqara. Most importantly, the relative spatial disorganization and lack of standardization at Macramallah's Rectangle

differs from the typical highly organized rows of retainers. In combination with the unusual location of this cemetery relative to the Saqqara masta-

bas and enclosures, and the apparent gradient of wealth and status amongst the clusters, the characterization of Macramallah's Rectangle as a stan-

dard sacrificial retainer cemetery appears unlikely. In addition, the spatial distribution of the grave groups casts some doubt upon their interpreta-

tion as a simultaneous and highly coordinated event.

SESSION 5: IMAGING

An Examination of Vertebral Compression Fractures in an Inca Population from the North Coast of Peru

Jaagumagi A.

Session 5: Imaging; October-30 at 9:00 AM

A high incidence of vertebral compression fractures were observed a Late-Horizon Inca population from the site of Farfàn, Peru. This population,

which consists mostly of young women, has garnered specific interest as the burial platform they were recovered from has been interpreted as

representing the interments of a religious institution. A multi-method analysis was performed on the remains in order to identify the cause of the

collapse. DXA, microCT and plain film radiography was used to examine microscopic changes in bone leading to identification of two conditions,

Osteopenia and Scheuermann‟s Kyphosis, in the Farfàn population. This paper will build on a previous paper which discussed preliminary results

through a review the identification of the cause of the collapse and a discussion the greater social implications of these conditions to this popula-

tion.

IMPACT - A Collaborative Mummy Database Project

Nelson A and A Wade.


Many advanced imaging applications involve the detailed analysis of one or a few images or objects. This is due to two main reasons: the time in-

tensive nature of advanced image analysis and the difficulty of storing and accessing advanced image datasets. The storage and access issue is par-

ticularly true for the DICOM data sets derived from CT and microCT scanners. These datasets can be extremely large and they cannot be han-

dled by regular database software. This paper reports on a project that is currently under development that is designed to create a large scale

collaborative database of mummy studies using a radiological Picture Archive and Communication System. Mummy studies is a field that is charac-

terized by case studies, or by studies of small series of mummies. This is largely due to the fact that few mummies have been x-rayed or CT

scanned and the studies that do exist are very difficult to access. This project aims to establish a database of radiological studies of mummies by

inviting individual scholars or institutions to contribute their individual studies and to collaboratively construct a much larger study sample than

could be possible in any other way. In this paper we will explore the issues that need to be solved for this project to work. These issues fall into

several categories – issues of a technical nature, issues of intellectual property and issues of control and access. The resolution of these issues will

have important implications for the area of advanced image analysis in bioarchaeology.

CAPA / ACAP

Imaging and Brain Face Interactions in Vertebrate Development and Evolution

Hallgrimsson B, Parons TE, Schmidt E, Boughner J, Young N, Martinez N, Jamniczky H, Trpkov C and R Marcucio.


The mammalian skull is a highly integrated yet modular structure, suggesting that genetic variation may translate to phenotypic variation in a highly

structured fashion. Understanding the developmental processes that contribute to this pattern, such as the relationship between the development of

the brain and face, is therefore crucial to unraveling the evolution of the human skull. Here we review a series of studies we performed to better

understand both the direct and indirect (epigenetic) relationships between the development of the brain and the rest of the skull. These studies are

based on experimental embryology in chickens, comparisons of mutant strains of mice, and morphometric analyses of normal human skeletal mate-

rial. Using advances in bone and soft-tissue imaging, we show that the relationship between the brain and the skull and, in particular, the face, is com-

plex and occurs via multiple mechanisms. In particular, we show that the changes in the brain produce changes in the face and cranial base, and that

changes in size produce allometric changes in cranial shape, partly via the integration of the brain and skull. These patterns of covariation suggest the

vertebrate skull has predictable axes of selectable variation and thus have significant implications for understanding the evolutionary developmental

biology of humans.

Lack of Structural Asymmetry in Pan Metacarpals 1, 2 and 5

Lazenby R, Skinner M, Kivell T, Sidhu S, Hublin JJ and C Boesch.


The question of behavioural laterality among nonhuman primates has been the subject of much debate, especially among hominines (captive and/or

free-living). Broadly speaking, there are two schools of thought: (1) a modest though definite population-level (cf. species) behavioural laterality exists

in hominines, particularly chimpanzees (e.g., Hopkins et al), and (2) bias for hand use is observed within individuals but not at the level of the popula-

tion / species (e.g., McGrew et al). In this study we examine structural asymmetry (whole bone and trabecular bone) from paired metacarpals in a

small sample (n = 13) of free-living chimpanzees from West and Central Africa. Ethological data for hand preference is known for four of the West

African animals. Whole bone data consist of lengths and epiphyseal and midshaft breadths, and trabecular data comprise measures of bone volume

fraction, connectivity, „plate-ness‟, thickness, number and anisotropy. The latter are derived from micro-CT imaging of 4.5 mm volumes of interest

centrally positioned within each head / base. No significant differences were found for any measure (McNemar‟s test for paired samples; combined

sexes). As well, no pattern is apparent for directional asymmetry and known hand preference. These results stand in stark contrast to earlier findings

for human metacarpals related to handedness, and support the position of an absence of population-level laterality among chimpanzees.

Testing Pits: what do cellular spaces tell us about human bone?

Carter Y, Chapman D, Wysokinski T, Belev G, Thomas CDL, Clement JG, Peele A, Hannah K and D Cooper.


The way bone responds to aging, injury and disease are important areas of interest for anthropologists yet the focus has primarily been at a macro-

rather than microscopic level. This presentation will be an overview of current hypotheses regarding the significance of osteocyte lacunar density and

morphology and highlight potential applications in anthropological research. Osteocytes, the most abundant cell type found in bone, are housed

within spaces known as lacunae. Previously, histological techniques were the only means of visualising lacunae; however, the introduction of Synchro-

tron radiation (SR) micro-CT with resolutions below 5 microns is now allowing these spaces to be visualised and quantified on a larger volumetric

scale. Image data from the Advanced Photon Source and Canadian Light Source will be used to illustrate the issues and successes of imaging lacunae.

The ability to measure lacunar distribution and spatial organisation within a specific region or unit of bone such as an osteon, will allow a more defini-

tive answer to the question of whether cellular density changes in the normal aging process as well as in altered processes such as those that lead to

osteoporosis. Studies on morphology help answer questions raised by many of the current hypotheses on bone's sensitivity to biomechanical stimuli

including fluid-flow and strain theories. The visualisation and characterisation of cellular spaces within human bone is a relatively uncharted field in the

human sciences, yet it is one with the potential to answer many questions and test entrenched hypotheses.

SYNCHROTRON SATELLITE WORKSHOP: STONES, BONES AND PHOTONS

Investigation of Bone Microarchitecture by Synchrotron X-ray Techniques at the CLS

Cooper D, Carter Y and H Britz

Synchrotron Satellite Workshop: Stones, Bones and Photons; October-30 at 1:45 PM

The advantages afforded by synchrotron-based x-ray imaging (including increased flux and monochromaticity) have lead to growing interest in the use

of this technology to assess biological hard tissues from both the present and the past. High resolution 3D imaging techniques (including synchrotron

radiation micro-CT) are increasingly intruding into the realm of more destructive histological techniques, and the capability to map elemental distri-

butions by x-ray fluorescence provides a powerful window on physiological phenomena. The enhanced perspective on the structure and function of

bone afforded by these technologies holds the potential to improve our current understanding of this dynamic tissue. This, in turn, will enable better

interpretation of functional adaptation, aging and disease of bone. This presentation will provide an overview of recent efforts by our group to char-

acterize bone microarchitecture using synchrotron-based x-ray techniques at the Biomedical Imaging and Therapy (BMIT) beamline of the Canadian

Light Source and outline our future plans to employ other beamlines to assess elemental distributions. Successes and challenges employing a variety

of techniques including diffraction enhanced imaging, phase contrast micro-CT and k-edge subtraction CT will be discussed.

Volume 2011 Issue 1

Synchrotron-based hard and soft x-ray characterization of heat-treated archaeological toolstone

Robertson E and R Blyth.


Many archaeological cultures are thought to have prepared the fine-grained, silica-rich rock typically used to make flaked stone tools by subjecting

it to heat treatment, a process which exposes it to temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius for several hours to days. This improves the

predictability with which the rock flakes, but the physical and chemical processes responsible for this change are not well understood, despite

previous studies using techniques like scanning electron microscopy and electron spin resonance. This is an interesting problem from a material

science standpoint, but it also leaves archaeologists without a clear analytical means of definitively determining when heat treatment was used in

the production of flaked stone artifacts.

Cellular and biochemical analyses of tissue samples from Kwäday Dän Ts’ìnchi

Monsalve MV, Christensen C and L Quaroni.


In 1999 human remains were found frozen in a glacier in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park in British Columbia, Canada. The remains, called “Kwäday Dän T

s‟ìnchi” (long ago person found) by the local First Nations, were carbon-dated at approximately 300 years-old. Our quantification of nitrogen and

carbon in collagen of soft and hard tissues inferred good protein preservation. We consequently extracted and amplified mtDNA and identified

ethnic origins of Kwäday Dän Ts‟ìnchi in a context of Native American mtDNA lineages. We used light and electron microscopy to evaluate pres-

ervation of the tissues‟ cellular components. Skeletal, connective, nervous and epithelial tissues were recognizable in some of the tissues. We iden-

tified eukaryotes and prokaryotes organisms in the arm muscle, heart and lung tissues. More recently we discovered anthracotic deposits in histo-

logical preparations of the lung. This finding confirmed an earlier examination of the corpse that attributed the carbon deposition to living with

indoor fires. To gain insight into postmortem degradation in glacier-preserved tissues we analysed soft tissue from the remains using synchrotron

based infrared spectroscopy. The Kwäday Dän Ts‟ìnchi remains displayed mid- infrared spectra that were similar to those of modern day tissue.

There was no evidence of protein degradation in the Kwäday Dän Ts‟ìnchi. Interestingly our initial analysis indicated the potential presence in arm

muscle of adipocere formation. This was confirmed with gas chromatography. Furthermore with additional experiments we were able to identify

areas with high concentrations of polysaccharides, α-helical proteins, and high content of carboxylate-containing molecules. These findings were

significant as the mid infrared analyses were able to confirm biochemical constituents identified in previously published reports and to locate them

inside tissue with a resolution of a few micrometers. The use of synchrotron light allowed for additional biochemical identification over previously

published work, due to the greater sensitivity (better signal to noise ratio) than non-synchrotron based techniques.

Imaging Ancient Artefacts - Greek and Roman Bronze Coins and Egyptian Faience Amulets

Harvey T, Wyzokinski T, Belev G and LD Chapman.


This abstract is for the "Stones, Bones, and Photons" workshop on Saturday, October 30, 2010. Over the course of the past several months, the

Museum of Antiquities, in conjunction with CLS BMIT scientists, have been conducting experiments for the purpose of establishing imaging tech-

niques for ancient artefacts that will provide valuable archaeological information in terms of artefact identification, as well as structural integrity

and conservation. Our experiment dealing with imaging ancient bronze coins aims to reconstruct the surfaces of these objects which have been

affected by corrosion, scale and general wear. Thus far, we have been able to isolate some images on our experimental coins. The results are

promising and will potentially lead to the development of an imaging application that will be valuable to archaeologists who require the identifica-

tion of coins for the purposes of dating and understanding the economic history of a site. Our analyses of ancient Egyptian faience amulets seeks to

understand the structural integrity of this ancient ceramic material, as well as how and whether it deteriorates over thousands of years. We feel

this information will be useful to both archaeologists and curators in their efforts to conserve these artefacts for years to come. Our presentation

will also look at the potential of the BMIT beamline at the CLS for analyzing other material culture artefacts.

CAPA / ACAP

Poster Abstracts:

FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY

1a: The Nose Knows: A Statistical Classification of Ancestry from Craniofacial Measurements

Yuzwa T and A McKeown.

The evolutionary history of South East Asia has been a topic of debate among academics for many years, and has produced significant research on

lineage as traced through genetic haplotypes, craniofacial morphology, and recently, through advanced statistical models. FORDISC 3.0 (Jantz and

Ousley, 2005) is a commonly used statistical program for the comparison of metric traits of unknown individuals to reference populations defined

by nationality, tribe, etc.; however, the FORDISC model currently contains only a small number of regionally-encompassing populations, which

have proven to be inappropriate standards for various subgroups. Indonesia would uniquely benefit from statistical profiling as mass graves of the

1965-66 Massacre begin to be exhumed for repatriation; hence, the objective of this poster was to determine the applicability of current statistical

models to broader forensic contexts, such as mass fatalities. Discriminant function analysis in FORDISC 3.0 yielded poor classification of individuals

from an Indonesian sample into any of the existing Forensic Database or Howell‟s populations; furthermore, cross-validation of canonical variables

in other statistical programs, such as SAS, indicated significant population distances for the Indonesian sample, and the sample yielded the lowest

error rate of classification compared with any reference sample, when the Indonesian sample was used as a reference population. The results indi-

cate that “Indonesian” is a distinct population, and as such, the reference populations in current statistical models would provide inaccurate demo-

graphic information, contributing to a growing awareness that population-specific standards must be developed to provide the rapid, useful biologi-

cal information for identification in repatriation and mass fatalities.

1b: Issues in Burnt Bone Terminology

Waterhouse K.

Precise, consistent and accurate use of terminology is essential in research and research communication, especially during the development of new

research directions. Burnt bone investigation is one of these areas. Of particular import and interest to this topic are the terms “burnt”,

“calcined”, “cremated” and “cremains” which, although used frequently, are not always used with true dedication to their precise meaning. Subtle,

and sometimes significant inaccuracies in the use of these terms can generate confusion and misunderstanding that could lead to errors in the

analysis and interpretation of human remains found in a post-fire setting. By defining, comparing and identifying common misuses of these key

terms, this poster highlights the need for caution in the use of burnt bone terminology and encourages precise and accurate reporting. The issue

of lack of clarity and misunderstanding in burnt bone research also arises when describing the degree of burn damage to soft tissue, bone or com-

plete individuals. Multiple, flexible terminological systems have been developed for this purpose, although real potential still exists for interpreta-

tion and description inaccuracies when clear definitions are not provided. Through outlining some of the systems of burn damage assessment this

poster demonstrates the variability in the field as well as the potential for miscommunication and thereby emphasizes the importance of defining

and utilizing clear and detailed descriptors.

1c: Facial Reconstruction of an Anga Mummy

NelsonA, Lywood V and R Beckett.

The Anga People of Papua New Guinea are known to have practiced an elaborate mortuary ritual that consisted of smoking the body of their

loved ones in a special hut for a period of weeks. The mummified individuals were then placed on cliff faces overlooking their lineage‟s territory.

The practice was halted by missionaries 40 to 50 years ago. The work reported on here arises from a 2010 expedition to study Anga mummies

and to undertake an ethnographic study of the modern Anga people. The main rationale the modern people offer for the practice is that their

ancestors wished to look on the faces of their people, so keeping their memory alive. Unfortunately, the ravages of time have led to the deteriora-

tion the mummy‟s faces. The project described here demonstrates the use of forensic techniques to reconstruct the face of one mummy. The

mummy shown here is Moimango, a leader, warrior and shaman, whose descendants still live in the village of Koke. Standard anatomical photos

and measurements were taken of Moimango‟s skull. Tissue thickness depths, available from a 1903 study, and the photos and measurements were

used to create lateral and frontal sketches of Moimango‟s head. The headdress and nose ornament were included as per family memories. Photos

were taken of the Koke villagers for additional reference. This reconstruction will bring Moimango‟s face alive for his descendants, and represents

an important development of the repertoire of techniques available for facial reconstruction.

1d: Hetep Bastet: Dual energy segmentation techniques, RP skull models and forensic facial approximation reveal the face of

UQAM’s Egyptian Mummy.

Lywood V, Nelson AJ, Wade AD, Nguyen N, Friedman SN, Granton PV, Cunningham IA, Mahoney G and M Ewanchyna.

Hetep Bastet is an Egyptian Mummy (ca. 600BC) housed in the Galerie de l‟Université du Québec à Montréal. The osteobiographic analysis of this

mummy was presented in Nelson et al. (2009). Here, the outcome of dual energy segmentation techniques is used to produce a model of the skull

and the forensic techniques used to reconstruct the mummy‟s face. Standard facial reconstruction relies upon practitioner expertise and tissue

Volume 2011 Issue 1

depth data specific to each cranium. In this case atherosclerosis, advanced dental deterioration and other degenerative changes suggest an age of

60+, while the best tissue depth data for Egyptians favor an age range of 20-35 with subjects in good health with complete anterior dentition. Thus,

this reconstruction required age adjustments to the soft tissue, to the underlying bony architecture or both. To depict the face of Hetep Bastet, 2

approaches were completed to better demonstrate her appearance:- age 60+, using the 3D print of the skull and applying standard age factors

which occur naturally in the human face reducing artistic subjectivity to reveal her image prior to death.- age 25-35, utilizing the optimum recogni-

tion factor derived from modified skull structure and tissue depth measurements to reveal her face in the prime of life. This is the first elderly

female clay Egyptian mummy facial reconstruction to incorporate standard aging factors to produce a second visage. Today, this forensic applica-

tion of facial modification could offer additional leads to the identity of unknown remains by depicting the face at earlier stages of adulthood.

PRIMATOLOGY

2a: Preliminary Survey of the Parasites of Wild White-faced Capuchins (Cebus capucinus) in Costa Rica

Parr N, Fedigan LM and SJ Kutz.

Studies of primate-parasite relationships in the Neotropics have been limited mainly to ecological-specialist howling monkeys (Alouatta spp.).

Capuchins (Cebus spp.) have omnivorous diets and use multiple levels of the canopy, including the forest floor. This dietary and behavioural diver-

sity should expose capuchins to a plethora of parasite taxa. We examined parasite prevalence and species richness in four habituated groups of

Cebus capucinus in the highly seasonal tropical dry forest of Santa Rosa Sector, Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We analyzed 295

fecal samples from 95 individually-identified monkeys over 13 months between September 2007 and August 2009. Ten parasite species were re-

covered using fecal flotation, sedimentation, and immunofluorescence techniques: five nematodes (Filaroides barretoi, Protospirura sp., Strongy-

loides cebus., an unidentified subulurid and an unidentified strongyle), one cestode, one acanthocephalan (Prosthenorchis sp.), and three protozoa

(Giardia sp., Isospora sp., and one unidentified protozoan cyst). A single necropsy confirmed the presence of the adult lungworm, F. barretoi.

Prevalence of S. cebus and the unknown protozoan were highest in adult hosts as older animals have had greater exposure levels. F. barretoi and

S. cebus prevalence was significantly affected by season, with wet conditions resulting in higher transmission rates. S. cebus prevalence was higher

in females, possibly a result of high rates of social contact between members of this sex. Infected hosts tested positive for an average of 1.58 para-

site species and parasite species richness was significantly affected by age. This study represents the first intensive sampling of endoparasites in

Cebus capucinus.

2b: Chimpanzee Nest Construction in South-West Cameroon

Last C.

This paper examines variability in chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes vellerosus) nest construction at two forest sites (Bechati and Andu) in the Lebi-

alem-Mone Forest Landscape (LMFL) in South-West Cameroon. It is hypothesized that nest locations (i.e., terrestrial versus arboreal) vary in rela-

tion to the density of human occupation, the frequency of hunting, and the cultural perceptions of primates in the region. During July and August

2010, a primate field survey at the sites of Bechati and Andu tracked the location and number of nests in two forest blocks within the LMFL. At

Bechati, villages are densely populated and hunting of the chimpanzee is still prevalent despite government bans on the illegal bush meat trade. The

perception of chimpanzees by the local villagers is negative because most view chimpanzees as impediments to agricultural expansion. At Andu, in

contrast, villages were located far from primate populations in the LMFL, and no evidence of hunting (i.e. ground snare traps or shell casings) was

observed throughout the field survey. The cultural perception of chimpanzees at Andu is also more positive, and the villagers are receptive to the

primate conservation activity by local NGO‟s. The chimpanzees at Andu engaged in the relatively rare behaviour of constructing ground nests in

the low valley regions, because they faced no threat from human predation. This evidence suggests that chimpanzee nest construction is a behav-

ioural adaptation that varies in response to predation in human/non-human primate landscapes.

STABLE ISOTOPES AND MICROTECHNIQUE

3a: Sulphur Isotopes in Ancient Human Bone Collagen from the Lake Baikal Region of Siberia: Freshwater Ecosystem Variation

as a Residence Tracer

Waters-Rist AL, Bazaliiskii VI, Weber A, Goriunova OI, Salev'ev N and MA Katzenberg.

There are clear differences in δ34S among marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems providing information about past diet and place of

residence. The aim of this study is to explore δ34S variation within a freshwater ecosystem along the western region of Lake Baikal, Siberia,

Russian Federation. In this area there is substantial variation in the isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and strontium in humans from Holocene period

archaeological sites due to underlying variation in the local geochemistry of different areas and dietary differences in the amount and type of fish

that were consumed. δ34S values from 70 well-preserved human bone collagen samples from 13 archaeological sites were obtained. δ34S values

range from 4.8 to 11.1‰. Within each site δ34S values range by <2‰ suggesting a clear local isotopic signature is identifiable that can be useful in

characterizing place of residence. A clear increase in δ34S is observed as a function of distance from the lakeshore, with the highest δ34S values

located over 200kms west of the lake along the Lena River. There is no significant δ34S variation by time period. These data provide the first step

upon which a regionally specific baseline dataset can be constructed.

CAPA / ACAP

3b: 2H Stable Isotope Analysis of Tooth Enamel: A Pilot Study

Holobinko A, Kemp HF, Meier-Augenstein W, Prowse T and S Ford.

Stable isotope analysis of biogenic tissues such as tooth enamel and bone mineral has become a well recognized and increasingly important method

for determining provenance of human remains, and has been used successfully in bioarchaeological studies as well as forensic investigations. Par-

ticularly, 18O and 2H stable isotopes are well established proxies as environmental indicators of climate (temperature) and source water and are

therefore considered as indicators of geographic life trajectories of animals and humans. While methodology for 2H analysis of human hair, finger-

nails, and bone collagen is currently used to determine geographic origin and identify possible migration patterns, studies involving the analysis of

2H in tooth enamel appear to be nonexistent in the scientific literature. This pilot study sought to establish the feasibility of 2H stable isotope

analysis of ground tooth enamel using IRMS-TC/EA technology. Powdered enamel samples from a geographically diverse array of archaeological

and modern teeth were analyzed under different experimental conditions, none of which significantly affected the observed 2H isotopic composi-

tion of the tooth enamel. Samples with different provenance yielded the same δ2H value of approximately -111.3±2.3 ‰; no linkage was detected

between the apparent dynamic range of enamel δ2H-values and that of source water at known points of origins (4 ‰ and 40 ‰, respectively).

While it is possible to measure 2H isotopic composition of the hydroxyl fraction of tooth enamel, the static nature of the 2H signature of tooth

enamel is an inappropriate proxy for provenance, yet may have some utility in biogenic mineral studies.

3c: Stable isotope analyses of a historical Euro-Quebecois population (Notre-Dame cemetery, Montreal, 1691-1796): prelimi-

nary paleonutritional interpretations.

Desrosiers E, Morland F and I Ribot.

Historical sources and previous (bio-)archaeological results both suggest that life was very difficult in Montreal between the 17th and 18th centu-

ries, especially for the lower socioeconomic classes. Human remains found in the cemetery of Notre-Dame church correspond to this phase of

urban development. Our objective is to expand current knowledge on nutritional behaviour (and past life style), particularly in relation to pre-

industrial Quebec. Therefore, stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes were analysed (28 individuals < 18 years; 22 adults). These results were then

compared with other North American populations. Firstly, concerning non-adults, two facts were observed : i) the weaning process seems to end

progressively around 2 to 3 years of age, and ii) isotopic variability especially for the nitrogen is very high from 2 to 14 years of age. The latter

could reflect different food habits between non-adults and adults, but this hypothesis needs to be explored with a larger sample. Secondly, con-

cerning the population as a whole, the variation appears, as expected, very close to other pre-industrial Euro-Canadian samples, and very different

from native North American populations. This suggests that the diet was mixed and based mainly on C3 resources with small amounts of C4 re-

sources. So far, these observations confirm previous studies that indicated nutritional behaviour of Euro-Quebecois populations, recently landed at

Montreal, matched closely the „cultural‟ habits of their country of origin (e.g. France, Europe at large).

3d: A comparison of LA-ICP-MS and micromill/solution ICP-MS methods for elemental analyses of tooth enamel

Dolphin A, Dundas SH, Kosler J and H Meyer Tvinnereim.

Tooth chemistry can serve as an index of measurement for the purposes of evaluating the health of an ecosystem, species, population, community

or individual. The recognition of teeth as bioindicators of changing health in both past and contemporary populations is reflected in several ongoing

longitudinal studies. It is imperative that, when making comparisons between individuals and determining baseline standards for populations,

equivalent regions of enamel (in terms of the timing of its secretion/mineralization) are being sampled. Micro-sampling techniques such as LA-ICP-

MS have been used to document variations in the concentration of trace elements in teeth. However, there are questions about whether these

data reflect true tissue concentrations. The research presented here compares the results of laser ablation ICP-MS and solution ICP-MS (via mi-

cromill) analyses of discreet regions of enamel sampled from 6 permanent premolars donated by Norwegian dental patients. Contents of Mg, Mn,

Fe, Zn, Sr, Ba and Pb were studied using both techniques. The results were compared in terms of absolute concentrations measured and trends

along the planes of enamel growth. Laser ICP-MS values were consistently lower than solution concentrations. Relatively good agreement was

found between the LA-ICP-MS and the solution ICP-MS samples for Mg, Mn, Zn and Sr, while fair results were found for Ba, and agreement for Fe

and Pb was poor. These results demonstrate that, if choosing to conduct solution analyses of teeth, micromilled samples are preferable over

whole dissolution methods as they are able to capture temporal trends in the uptake of elements.

SKELETAL BIOLOGY AND PALEOPATHOLOGY

4a: Disuse Osteopenia: A Bioarchaeological Investigation of a Skeleton from Wadi-Fidan,

Brickley M, Watamaniuk L., Prowse T, Kahlon B and R Adams.

In the last twenty years increasing attention has been paid to age-related and postmenopausal bone loss and osteoporosis in bioarchaeological

material, as the importance of these conditions for knowledge of past communities and our understanding of current health issues have been rec-

ognized. There are however a wide range of other reasons why osteopenia and potentially osteoporosis might develop, and limited attention has

been paid to these. Causes include; immobility, secondary changes associated with pathology, and malnutrition. In particular, relatively little work

has been done on possible causes and consequences of immobility in bioarchaeology. Analysis of the skeleton of a young male excavated from the

Chalcolithic site of Wadi Fidan, Jordan revealed extensive trauma (dealt with by Prowse et al.) and pathological changes. Amongst these was the

presence of a „double cortical line‟ (DCL) in the left acetabular roof and distal tibia joint. The presence of a DCL appears to occur as a result of

intracortical bone resorption, and has been described as reliable sign of immobility-related osteopenia. No DCL was present in the left glenoid

cavity of the scapula. Poor preservation of the skeleton (possibly linked to osteopenia) prevented detailed analysis of all concave joint surfaces, but

the condition causing immobility certainly affected the man‟s left leg and likely persisted for several months. Not all immob ile individuals develop

DCL, but wider recognition of this and other features of disuse osteopenia would improve the understanding of how individuals or communities

coped with the various challenges immobility brings.

Volume 2011 Issue 1

4b: A metric study of artificial cranial modification from the Boisman II hunter-gatherer cemetery (~5300-6000 BP), Russian Far

East

McKenzie H, Puckett C and A Popov.

Artificial cranial modification (ACM) is a widely distributed practice in both time and space, being found on every inhabited continent and in a vari-

ety of historic and prehistoric cultural contexts. As a permanent bodily modification that is applied to infants, ACM is one important method of

symbolizing ascribed social identities and so can be useful for archaeological investigations into inter and intra-group social relations. Previous re-

search (Chiikisheva 2003) at the Boisman II hunter-gatherer cemetery (~5300-6000 BP) located on the Russian coast of the Sea of Japan has de-

scribed a variety of forms of deformation in 11 of 17 observable crania, which represents among the earliest – if not the earliest – examples of the

practice in Asia. The aim of the present study is to reevaluate the evidence for ACM at Boisman II using a recently developed discriminant function

analysis designed to provide a more objective means of identifying deformed and undeformed crania (Clark et al 2007). Our results support Chi-

kisheva‟s (2003) conclusion that ACM was used by Boisman peoples; however, our metric analysis identified only two crania as deformed, instead

of the 11 previously identified. Further research is required to determine whether this discrepancy is a product of the conservative nature of the

discriminant function, the potential that the discriminant function produces inaccurate results for crania from this population, or whether some of

the initial assignments were mistaken.

4c: Poked, Sliced, and Jabbed: Multiple Traumatic Lesions in a Skeleton from Wadi Fidan 1,

Prowse T, Brickley M, Adams R, Kahlon B, Edwards J and A Oh.

Investigation of early copper production by Russell Adams at the site of Wadi Fidan 1 in southern Jordan uncovered an elaborately-built burial cist

dating to the first half of the 5th millenium B.C., with five finely crafted flint axes deposited at the side of the grave. This cist contained the semi-

articulated remains of one individual and the disarticulated lower limb bones of a second. Osteological analysis of the main skeleton revealed ex-

tensive antemortem, perimortem, and postmortem trauma. This individual was a young adult male (20-25 years), who lost use of his left leg prior

to death (see poster by Brickley et al.) and had a partially healed circular puncture wound on his manubrium. In addition, he suffered perimortem

sharp force trauma to the cranium and left scapula. One of the most intriguing aspects of this individual are the multiple postmortem puncture

marks of different sizes found on the frontal bone, left innominate, multiple vertebrae, foot bones, and on the articular surfaces of the left hume-

rus, radius, and tibia. The location of the injuries and the absence of healing indicate that these occurred after death, possibly associated with

preparation for burial. Little is known about burial rituals and attitudes towards death in Chalcolithic Jordan, so this burial provides intriguing evi-

dence concerning the treatment of the body after death. We hypothesize that the disarticulated limb bones of the second individual placed in this

grave were intentionally provided to replace the paralyzed leg in the afterlife.

4d: Enhancement of Scott's Molar Wear Scoring Method

Shykoluk N.

A method is described for orienting maxillary and mandibular molars in order to standardize the reporting of wear scores on quadrants of the

occlusal surfaces. The method, which was developed on an archaeological sample from ancient Mendes, Egypt, further requires that quadrant

scores be reported individually and sequentially for each tooth, rather than summed, in order to identify more easily differential and directional

wear patterns. Intraobserver and interobserver error was found to be negligible when the appropriate diagrams and instructions were consulted.

Thus, observer error does not add further to the potential for error associated with Scott's original scoring method.

4e: Habitual activity indicators on human teeth from ancient Mendes, Egypt

Lovell N.

New York University‟s Institute of Fine Arts recovered human skeletal remains during excavations at Mendes in the 1960s. The remains were later

shipped to the University of Alberta and the sample of three hundred and seventeen teeth from 26 individuals were examined for evidence of

dental disease and tooth wear. The teeth exhibit normal occlusal wear from chewing food in preparation for swallowing and digestion, but thirteen

individuals also display unusual wear patterns. These patterns can be classified as flat wear (i.e., wear that is perpendicular to the occlusal surface)

of the root, of the labial surface of tooth crowns, and of the cemento-enamel junction; oblique wear of the facial, mesial, distal, and interproximal

surfaces of tooth crowns; and saddle-shaped wear of the incisal edge of maxillary incisors. Antemortem chipping of the tooth crown also was

observed. These macroscopically visible patterns of wear were examined by scanning electron microscopy and interpreted in the contexts of eth-

nographic parallels and patterns of ancient Egyptian life as reconstructed from archaeological materials. Results suggest that activities such as quid

chewing, leather working, fiber or sinew processing, splitting of reeds and plant stems for basketry or weaving, and the crafting of stone tools are

possible factors in the development of non-masticatory tooth wear at Mendes.

4f: Behavioural modernity: a not so good concept in human evolution

Roksandic M and J Lindal.

Paleoanthropologists have long recognized that human morphology is effectively “modern” roughly 150ky before there is evidence for “modern”

human behaviours. In a reductionist attempt to explain this apparent discrepancy, some recent studies have focused on identifying genetic or neu-

rological causes for this behavioural change. We reconsider the validity of “modern human behavior” concept and suggest that the “capacity for

modern behavior” is a more appropriate term that does not allow us to pin-point this imagined transition. Equating behavioural changes with ge-

netic factors is not fundamentally wrong, and has a potential to lead to behvioural determinism that we hope biological anthropology left behind.

CAPA / ACAP

IMAGING

5a: A preliminary investigation of lead contamination in a Napoleonic era naval cemetery in

Varney TL, Cooper DML, Coulthard I , George GN, Pickering IJ and AR Murphy.

Lead poisoning has been suggested as being partially responsible for the „demise‟ of the British military in the West Indies during the colonial era.

Lead was pervasive in the colonial environment being employed in uses such as eating and cooking utensils, water catchments and alcohol distilla-

tion equipment. This preliminary study represents the first attempt to determine whether this suggestion has any validity. Bone samples taken

from the remains an individual excavated from a cemetery associated with a Royal Naval Hospital cemetery (c. 1793-1822) near English Harbour,

Antigua was used for initial testing. A control sample from an individual from a pre-contact site provided baseline/control data. Lead levels and

distribution in the samples were mapped by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) microprobe analysis on the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

(SSRL). Preliminary results revealed that, as hypothesized, the precontact sample had little to no detectable lead, while that from the historic pe-

riod did indeed have lead contamination. Further, within the historic sample, a secondary osteon was found to contain a high level of lead relative

to the surrounding bone, a result which strongly suggests a biogenic rather than diagenetic origin for the heavy metal. This preliminary study marks

the first such application of this technology to the detection of lead in bone, and represents an exciting new potential tool for bioarchaeology and

other disciplines with an interest in lead contamination.

5b: Sex Determination from Head to….Well Just the Head: A Validation of Methods Using the Petrous Portion of the Skull

from CT Data

Morgan J, Lynnerup N and RD Hoppa.

This poster presents a validation study of three previously published methods of sex determination for the petrous portion of the temporal bone

using CT scans. Using an independent data set of known sex, this study evaluated the previously published methods of determination of sex from

the lateral angle (Akansel et al., 2008; Graw et al., 2005; Norén et al., 2005), diameter (Lynnerup et al., 2006), and length (Papangelou 1975) of the

internal acoustic canal. A series of 55 post-mortem CT scans were used to examine the accuracy and reliability of each technique. The results did

not demonstrate statistically significant differences between the sexes, possibly owing to the study sample being skewed toward more males (40

males, 15 females). However, consistency in the means and ranges of measurements between the current study and previously published results

does suggest that computerized tomography (CT) is capable of reproducing direct anatomic measurements of the skull. Further analysis using

more robust resampling strategies (ie bootstrapping) to compensate for the male bias in the sample, demonstrated a stronger relationship of some

methods with respect to prediction of sex. Recommendations for these techniques in osteological studies are discussed in light of the observed

results, including the limitations of measurement acquisition when using CT scans.

5c: Congruence of Metric and Morphological Approaches to Determination of Sex in the Real, Virtual and 3DP Pelvis.

Gamble J and RD Hoppa.

Increasingly, physical anthropology is seeing the use of a variety of digital technologies to capture, describe and analyse skeletal elements for a

variety of purposes. The last ten years has seen a dramatic increase in the number of publications undertaking validation of osteological methods

or techniques using CT data and/or virtual models. In the last few years, with the increasing availability of relatively low cost technological ap-

proaches to rapid prototyping (3DP), production of bone replicas and reconstructions has also gained popularity. However, only a handful of pa-

pers have explored the relative congruence of methods on real, virtual and 3DP models, with most focusing on the reproducibility of standard

metrics or of landmarks. This paper presents the results of a small pilot study to explore congruence in metric and morphological methods for

determination of sex from the pelvis. A variety of standard measurements and visual assessments were conducted on a sample of 29 distinct

pelves. The same data were then collected on 3D virtual models, and finally on a subsample of 3DP models. The primary focus of the pilot was not

to assess accuracy of the individual techniques, but rather congruence of multiple methods on each of the three sources. Implications for future

osteological studies are discussed.

5d: Heart treatment in ancient Egyptian mummification

Wade A and A Nelson.

Descriptions in the popular and academic literature of the evisceration process, organ treatment, and body cavity treatment, as part of the Egyp-

tian mummification tradition, are derived largely from accounts by Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, Porphyry, and Plutarch. Our reliance on these

normative descriptions obscures the wide range of techniques practiced, impeding the study of geographic, chronological, and socio-political varia-

tions in ancient Egyptian mortuary practice and ideology. This line of inquiry, using detailed paleoanatomical analysis to examine mortuary practices

and ideology, is part of ongoing research at the University of Western Ontario, in conjunction with the IMPACT radiological mummy database

project. Using published descriptions and primary computed tomography data, this poster focusses on heart treatment in Egyptian mummification,

comparing the classical descriptions with patterns apparent in empirical data. These empirical data are drawn from two samples: (1) a literature-

based sample of 150 adequately described mummies, and (2) a sample of 7 mummies examined directly using computed tomography. Retention,

removal, and replacement of the heart varies between time periods, sexes, and statuses, and these treatments are discussed in relation to their

place in the literature and their radiological appearance. In spite of a high degree of heterogeneity in the Egyptian mummification tradition, re-

searchers continue to focus on modern and classical stereotypes rather than on its rich variability as it evolved across Egypt over the course of

more than three millennia. In particular, the dogmatic contention that the heart was nearly universally retained in situ, or replaced if accidentally

removed, is greatly exaggerated.

Volume 2011 Issue 1

POPULATION HEALTH

6a: Health and Housing in a Northern Manitoban Community: A Preliminary Report

Boutilier D, Larcombe L, Nickerson P and P Orr.

Housing conditions in many northern Canadian Aboriginal communities have been characterized as drastically inadequate with issues of over-

crowding, substandard construction and more recently, culturally inappropriate housing design contributing to this depiction. Documentation of

the impacts that these conditions have on human health is also increasing. This poster presents an overview of on-going research that involves the

assessment of housing conditions that are risk factors for infectious disease transmission in a northern Manitoba First Nation community. At the

request of the community, factors including ventilation, air quality, mould and crowding in the homes was assessed. Health data related respiratory

diseases, soft-tissue skin infections and general health conditions were collected. Preliminary results of the assessment are presented and discussed

with respect to previously gathered data on housing conditions in the north. While still in the initial stages, this project represents another of an

increasing number of collaborations and community-based research initiatives. The poster outlines the challenges and rewards of engaging in com-

munity-based, health-related research in northern Aboriginal communities and highlights the impacts of inadequate housing on health.

6b: Urinary cortisol excretion across the menstrual cycle

Nepomnaschy P, Altman R and R Watterson.

Cortisol is widely used as a marker of physiologic stress. There are however multiple arguments about its proper use and interpretation. A priori

assumptions regarding the factors explaining within and between individuals‟ variations are at the center of most of those arguments. This is par-

ticularly important in the case of women, where the endocrine system is heavily influenced by their reproductive status. Cortisol levels in regularly

cycling women, for example, are often assumed to vary independently from the day of the menstrual cycle. This is a critical assumption: if cortisol

values were to depend on the day of the menstrual cycle, then lack of control of this covariate could lead researchers to erroneous interpreta-

tions of observed variation. Yet, the evidence on which the assumption of independence between cortisol and day of the menstrual cycle is based

is scarce and based cross-sectional data and limited analytical methods, such as calculus of the area under the curve (AUC). Here we use a mix

linear model to evaluate longitudinal variations in first morning urinary cortisol levels within and between women, accounting for differences in

variability in both mean and standard deviations across individuals. We developed two alternative models based on the following assumptions: a.

that cortisol does not vary with day of menstrual cycle, b) that cortisol depends on the timing of the menstrual cycle. We found some evidence

that Models 2 fit better than Model 1 (p-values=0.037 and 0.083, respectively), suggesting that, while in cycles of regular length (28 days) cortisol

may vary independently of the time of the menstrual cycles, this may not be true for long menstrual cycle cortisol levels. If these results are repli-

cated with larger sample sizes protocols for the use of cortisol levels to assess stress will have to be modified.

CAPA / ACAP

editor megan j. highetl’association canadienne d ...€¦ · delighted (though a bit daunted) by...

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